BENEFITS claimants are reportedly being given a wealth of discounts on leisure activities from beauty treatments to restaurant bills.
Several councils offer discounts and perk schemes to residents on and other welfare payments, it has been revealed.
Claimants can get rent discounts on beach huts near Colchester Credit: Alamy
Families on benefits can save as much as £107 on Tower of London tickets Credit: Alamy
At world-famous London Zoo, savings up to £72 can be found Credit: Darren Fletcher
Tory MPs have spoken out against the revelations, branding the schemes an example of “freebie Britain”.
claimants in some councils are entitled to discounts on beach huts, yoga classes and eyebrow microblading, according to The Telegraph .
This means the councils are spending taxpayer to offer “perverse incentives” to unemployed residents on Universal Credit.
Tory MP Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions secretary, accused Labour of creating “a freebie culture that treats benefits as a rewards scheme”.
She blasted the government for having “created a Britain where you are better off not working”.
Universal Credit claims have soared over the past year, as unemployment figures spiral.
Roughly 8.4million people are now in receipt of the means tested benefit for people out of work on or low incomes.
This is one million more claimants than in January 2025.
One of the perks schemes the investigation uncovered was the discount card offered by City Council.
The £5 LeedsCard Extra offers benefits claimants discounts up to 20 per cent on and bars around the city, including Frankie and Benny’s.
Cardholders are also entitled to money off yoga classes, microblading, and other beauty treatments in salons.
Meanwhile, Wandsworth council in South London offered benefits claimants huge discounts between 50 to 100 per cent off gym sessions and even wedding ceremonies.
The Labour-run council boasts it offers “Britain’s best concession scheme”.
In Essex, Colchester City Council was found to offer reduced rent on beach huts.
Residents in receipt of means-tested benefits are eligible for up to £155 a year off the full cost of rent on the quintessential coastal huts – up to £630 in full.
Many attractions also offer huge Universal Credit discounts, including £1 tickets at the Tower Of London – which are £37 full price.
This could save a family of four in receipt of the benefit up to £107 for one visit.
Similarly, St Paul’s Cathedral also offers tickets for £4 for a family of four, which would be £65 full price.
At London Zoo, a family of four could pay just £30, a £72 reduction from the full price fees.
Outside of the capital, the Eden Project offers claimants £51 off tickets.
At the Eden Project, Universal Credit claimants can nab £45 off tickets Credit: Eden Project
St Paul’s Cathedral, where tickets can be reduced to £4 Credit: Alamy
Tory MP responded to the revelations today, backing calls to cut benefits in order to boost defence funding.
He wrote in The Telegraph: “An ever-growing list of freebies, relaxed work-search rules and online assessments are all wreaking havoc on the system while costing taxpayers a fortune.”
This comes after experts urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to urgently tackle the bloated welfare bill as Britain’s debt soars.
Labour attempted to slash the cost but a rebellion from backbenchers caused them to abandon £5 billion worth of cuts.
The Tories and have continually demanded the benefits system – currently standing at more than £300 billion including – be slashed.
Earlier this month, shadow Chancellor Sir said: “Our national debt is already far too high – yet is pouring fuel on the fire.
“Taxes up £66 billion, borrowing still soaring, and over £100 billion a year wasted on debt interest – nearly double what we spend on defence. Starmer and Reeves are taking hardworking families for a ride.
“We must rein in the ballooning welfare bill, get more people into work, drill the North Sea and restore discipline to the public finances.”
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund warned that “spending pressures need to be confronted directly, inefficiencies reduced” to help restore resilience in the economy.
A government spokesman responded to the revelations today: “We’re clear that households in work should be consistently better off than households on benefits alone.
“As we bear down on the , we’re supporting people into good, secure jobs by undertaking the biggest employment reforms in a generation, overhauling Jobcentres and working with employers to deliver our Jobs Guarantee, ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.”
The Sun has contacted Colchester City Council, Leeds City Council and Wandsworth Council for comment.
Council schemes offer money off yoga classes and gym sessions Credit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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