North-east savers assisted by government scheme
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Aberdeenshire people who have signed up to a scheme to help those on lower incomes have benefitted from their first bonus payment.
Help to Save allows eligible people to save up to £50 a month in a secure savings account, which is backed by the UK Government.
For every £1 they save, they can earn a bonus of 50 pence, over four years. The 50 per cent bonus is payable at the end of the second and fourth years and is based on how much account holders have saved.
Account holders who opened it in 2018 have received their first bonus payment, which is an average of £360 in Scotland.
Across the UK, more than 47,000 account holders received an average first payment of £375, two years after opening an account, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reveals.
HMRC’s director general for customer services Karl Khan said: “The UK Government’s Help to Save scheme helps those on lower incomes, who put money aside each month, or as and when they can, and add it to their savings account, to earn a 50 per cent bonus on what they invest.
“Thousands of individuals are now reaping the reward and benefitting from an average £375 first bonus payment, paid directly into their bank account.”
Bonuses have been paid to savers who opened an account between January and September 2018. Anyone who opened accounts after this period will receive their bonus at the end of the second year.
By September 2020, a total of 47,200 account holders had received their first bonus payment and a share of more than £17.6 million from HMRC.
Statistics released last month reveal that more than 222,700 Help to Save accounts had been opened by July 2020. In Scotland, 16,100 accounts have been opened.
People can open a Help to Save savings account if they receive Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits or claim Universal Credit.
They can check their eligibility at www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income/eligibility
