Wishes grant-ed

FANCY a bit of free money? It may sound dodgy, but there is legit hidden cash in every city, town and village - and you needn't ever pay a PENNY of it back.

Millions of grants sit unclaimed and this isn't just student money - you can get help with anything from home improvements to energy bills and emergency holidays.

Sometimes eligibility can depend on bizarre factors such as whether you live in Dudley, Devon or Derbyshire, are a fishmonger, furnisher or in the fire service or if your surname is Bell, Blyth or Buchanan.

To check if there is any money out there for you, new specialised web tools have sprung up which can tell you in seconds. Here's how to uncover these pots of gold . . .

1. IMPROVE YOUR HOME/LIFESTYLE

Charity Turn2us has developed a superb grant finder to help educate on a range of financial support options.

How to find it: Go to www.turn2us.org.uk and click Grants Search at the top.

How it works: Customise the search from the drop-down menu including your situation, religion, surname, politics, sportiness and more.

Typical grants found: From emergency holiday grants for people in stressful scenarios, to help for furniture, decorating or bills and household expenses.

Best of the rest: Help The Aged's HandyVan scheme helps makes homes safer for the over-60s with less than £20,000 savings. Grants exist for the disabled.

Elderly, disabled or low-income households may benefit from one of 300 locally-based Home Improvement Agencies helping repair, improve or adapt homes. Assistance is anything from putting together flatpack furniture to maintaining your garden.

Each UK JobCentre Plus has an Advisor Discretion Fund providing jobseekers with a grant of up to £300 in any 12-month period helping with transport, childcare, work clothes and tools.

Full list at www.moneysavingexpert.com/grants

2. ENERGY BILL GRANTS

The Energy Saving Trust is a non-profit government agency promoting being greener. Its grant finder does what it says on the tin.

How to find it: Visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk and click on Find Grants and Offers or call 0800 512 012.

How it works: It lists all types of energy grants from local authorities and energy companies. Many for those on lower incomes or pensions.

Typical grants found: In England, Warm Front gives up to £3,500 to homeowners or renters with a private landlord who receive certain benefits, to help fund improved heating and insulation.

Best of the rest: Utility companies are increasingly offering help for customers with large arrears. Trusts from British Gas, EDF Energy and nPower offer it but even if your supplier isn't listed, call it and see.

For water company schemes see www.water.org.uk/payingforwater .

3. STUDENTS/SCHOOLS

AS well as Turn2Us, students can scour for scholarships on a website called hotcourses.

How to find it: Visit www.scholarshipsearch.org.uk

How it works: It's a database of bursary, scholarship and award-funding for pre-uni, undergraduates or postgraduates. Good start point though not comprehensive and a tad clunky.

Typical grants found: Access/opportunity grants worth £1,000-a-year for undergraduates.

Best of the rest: Try www.familyaction.org.uk too .

Many undergraduates with lower- income parents can get some of their student loan replaced by a grant.

Under-16s whose parents earn under £32,000 a year can get official Educational Maintenance Allowances.

There's also money to help people take up study. Scottish and Welsh residents may get £200 towards the cost of learning something new. Grants for financial education courses are also available at my own www.MSEcharity.com

All grants and scholarships listed at www.moneysavingexpert.com/grants

OK, what's the catch?

TOO good to be true? It isn't. As well as charity funds, some grants are really about social engineering designed to:

PERSUADE people to do something they wouldn't normally be willing to pay for, like shelling out to make homes energy-efficient.

ENABLE people do something they should be able to, but can't afford, like education.

BE a sop. Grants relieve political pressure - for example, utility companies give them to low-income families to forestall fuel poverty regulation.

TV Money Guru Martin Lewis is the creator of the Consumer Revenge website www.MoneySavingExpert.com which is packed with info on how to get more money in your pocket.

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