Top 6 parent perks worth £5,800 to claim NOW – from free airport lounges to days out

MILLIONS of parents could be missing out on thousands of pounds worth of family perks hiding in plain sight. From government childcare cash to secret bank account freebies, families can claim back a small fortune every single year. Snapping up these five incredible freebies could easily save you more than £4,000 right now. Here is exactly what you need to claim to keep more cash in your wallet this year. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! 1. Tax-free childcare – up to £4,000 Children explore music through instruments in the nursery with their teacher Credit: Getty Working parents can grab up to £2,000 a year per child from the government to help cover nursery and childminder bills. The scheme works by topping up your own childcare savings with a 25% state bonus. You simply open an online account and the government will add £2 for every £8 you pay in. This perk can be used to pay for approved childcare including breakfast clubs, after-school care and holiday clubs. If your child is disabled, the maximum top-up you can claim doubles to a generous £4,000 a year. It is available for children up to the age of 11, or up to 16 if your child has a disability. Most read in Money If your child is disabled, the maximum top-up you can claim to massive £4,000 a year. You just need to earn at least the national minimum wage for 16 hours a week and earn under £100,000 annually to qualify. To apply, visit gov.uk/tax-free-childcare. 2. Child benefit – up to £1,400 per child Even if you earn over the threshold for child benefit it’s still worth claiming Credit: Getty – Contributor Child Benefit is a vital monthly lifeline that currently pays out over £1,400 a year for your first born. Parents can claim £27.05 every single week for their eldest or only child. You will also get an extra £17.90 a week for any additional children you have in your family. You qualify if your child is under 16 or under 20 and in approved education or training. If you or your partner earn more than £60,000 a year, you’ll have to pay some of your Child Benefit back. And if you or your partner earn £80,000 or more, you’ll have to pay all of it back. However, it is still worth applying for even if you earn a high salary because claiming it automatically protects your state pension record even if you don’t qualify for a weekly payment. To apply visit gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim. 3. Cheap and free child activities – save £100s Holidays and weekends can be made easier with cut price activities Credit: Getty Entertaining the kids does not have to cost an absolute fortune if you take advantage of clever ticketing rules across the country. Many top attractions offer completely free entry for younger children to help keep family days out as affordable as possible. For example, curious toddlers under the age of three can explore most of the UK’s major zoos for free. Taking a typical family of four to a major wildlife park usually costs around £100 for standard admission, making these toddler savings highly valuable. You can also take children under five to National Trust properties without paying a single penny for their entry tickets. Older kids are covered too, with attractions like the Museum of Illusions London offering brilliant cheap and free child days out. You can save even more cash by packing a family picnic and hunting down two-for-one train travel vouchers before you set off. 4. NHS freebies – save £100s New mothers can take advantage of a range of NHS savings for the first year of their baby’s life Credit: Alamy New mums can slash their medical bills by using a maternity exemption certificate from pregnancy right up until their baby turns one. This piece of paperwork means you can wave goodbye to costly NHS prescription and dental charges immediately. A year’s worth of prescriptions typically costs £118.80 if covered by a 12-month prepayment certificate, while a standard Band 2 dental treatment such as a filling costs an additional £76.60. It entitles you to completely free healthcare and dental treatments during those crucial early months of motherhood. You should speak to your midwife or doctor to get the form to apply for your certificate as soon as possible. You should also check the NHS Baby Start For Life website to see if you can claim free vitamins for you and your baby. Taking advantage of these health freebies can easily save you hundreds of pounds over the course of a year. 5. Free airport lounge access – save up to £200 Popular bank accounts often come with airport lounge access Credit: Getty Families jetting off this Autumn could already have free airport lounge access sitting unused in their bank account or credit card. Andrew Harrison-Chinn, Head of Business at Dragonpass, said: “Many parents assume airport lounge access is something they would need to buy separately, when it may already be sitting unused among the benefits attached to their bank account or credit card.” He advised checking the rewards section of your banking app for terms like “airport lounge” or “Dragonpass,” and to remember to activate the benefit before travelling, as simply holding the card isn’t always enough. He said: “UK lounge entry typically costs around £35 to £50 per person, so four complimentary passes could have a gross value of £140 to £200 for a family of four.” Popular accounts like the Barclays Travel Plus Pack or NatWest Premier Reward Black include Dragonpass access, which could easily save a family of four up to £200 per trip. However, always check the monthly account fees first to make sure the overall package actually leaves you better off. 6. Retailer clubs loyalty schemes – Up to 50% off Don’t forget to check your loyalty schemes when shopping for baby essentials Credit: Getty Retailer baby clubs are one of the easiest ways to unlock discounts, vouchers, and rewards during pregnancy and your baby’s first year. Website Emma’s Diary offers free gift packs for new parents, that can contain free samples of essentials like nappies and baby wash. These can usually be collected in person from your local Argos or Boots store, rather than delivered directly. For useful discounts Boots’ Parenting Club offers app-based vouchers that you can use at different stages of pregnancy and your baby’s first year. Tesco’s Baby Club gives Clubcard members up to 50% off during Baby & Toddler Events, while Asda’s Rewards app includes a Baby & Toddler Club that gives you 50p in cashback every time you spend £5 on certain products. M&S has a Parent Hood scheme via its Sparks membership that offers 10% off baby clothes, plus a free treat at parent-and-baby café mornings — though this isn’t available at every M&S café, so it’s worth checking your local branch. Comment now