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5 hacks for your social work personal statement

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So, you want to get into social work.

Hold on… it’s not that easy.

But you are in the right place.

In this article, we will show you how to write a personal statement.

Then we will show you an example of the social work personal statement.

In applying for social work, you will need to write a personal statement that explains why you want to study social work.

How to write a social work personal statement

1. set a deadline for your personal statement..

No work will ever be perfect. Yet we often fall into the fallacy of writing and rewriting, editing and re-editing. We think we can make the perfect personal statement that will land us in social work.

We can’t make it perfect. Before you start writing, you need to know when you have to stop and submit.

There is a saying in Chinese that goes, 画蛇添足. It tells the story of an art competition. During that competition, an artist, in his quest for perfection, ended up adding legs to his painting of a snake. Naturally, he lost.

The moral of the story is that there will never be a perfect picture, or perfect personal statement. What matters is that you have tried.

Start writing your personal statement.

Often, our quest for perfection or plain procrastination stops us from writing. We try planning in detail, without actually writing. In my experience, I was pushed for time.

I had been awarded a scholarship, but no university place offered to me. Due to the urgency of the matter, I had to write quickly. I had to submit.

There was no time to think.

In much the same way, rather than spending too much time thinking, simply start writing. Writing has a magical way of sorting out your thoughts. You can always come back to edit it thereafter.

Include real-life examples of why you want to study social work.

As you can see below, I included examples from my own experiences being helped by a social worker and helping others as a volunteer. The truth is: facts tell, stories sell. Stories give the applications panel another side to you.

They make you real.

In writing your stories, be clear about what your role was. What did you contribute? What did you do? What was your impact? Did anyone praise you?

Secondly, link it to the wider motivation for social work. What did your experience teach you? How did it push you to decide on a career in social work?

Edit your personal statement.

Grammatical and spelling mistakes are a no-no. they show that you have not spent as much effort as you should have on your personal statement. When editing, print out a copy of your personal statement, and then read it out loud.

Reading it out aloud helps you to hear the arguments. It lets you see if the arguments make sense, flow well, and are cogently linked together.

Give your personal statement to someone else to read.

I was fortunate to have a friend who was a social worker. She agreed to read my personal statement. From that reading, she gave me valuable feedback on what I could improve on.

Having someone else to read removes our blind spots. Having interacted so much with your personal statement, you might be too emotionally invested in it to remove parts that are not as good.

Therefore, having someone else helps to make your essay much better.

Example of social work personal statement

This was the personal statement I wrote that eventually allowed me to be accepted into the University of Nottingham’s BA Social Work course.

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Indeed, I have come to see how a life well-lived is one through which we give out of the largesse of our hearts. With a desire to engender positive change in the society around me, contributing to the community that has nurtured me, studying social work develops the expertise needed to aid the communities around me.

Why social work?

My desire to study social work stems from a wish to help people deal with the befuddling complexities of life, for which there is often no proper problem solving method, and certainly no correct answer.

What piqued my interest in social work was a first-hand encounter with social workers, who inspired me to take up social work myself.

In college, I remembered seeing my mother bent over the toilet bowl, vomiting out the remains of her previous meal.

Days later, she was stripped of her once lustrous, beautiful hair.

Watching my mother buried under blankets, trying to keep warm, I was overcome by a sense of helplessness.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in June.

The months after were a harrowing experience. So often used to the pillar of strength my mother represented, to see her reduced to such a state, ravaged by the destruction of cancer, terrified and frightened me. As the eldest in the family, I had to take on additional responsibilities at home on top of my academic workload. It was arduous juggling the various obligations. There were times when exhaustion overtook me, causing me to fall asleep in my uniform, waking up only to fight another day.

However, I was fortunate to have the guidance of a social worker, who helped me regain emotional balance. She enabled me to stand on my own two feet again, anchoring myself in the midst of the changes that were happening around me.

Just as I have been so helped, I desire to offer lifebuoys of aid to others.

I want to assist them in finding greater emotional stability and eventually soaring towards a more fulfilling life.

My experience

Intrigued by the complexities of social work, I joined YGOS, a welfare organization reaching out to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds, as an intern.

There, I worked with youths who were doing poorly academically and exhibiting behavioral problems.

I enjoyed the opportunity I had to personally mentor these youths, working closely with them to improve their academic grades and attitude towards learning.

Having a hand in molding them positively, revealed the possibilities that social work offered in eliciting real change in the community around me.

The myriad of opportunities that an overseas education offers me excites me. Exposure to a different welfare system will further my perspectives on the various welfare models in the world, and broaden my horizons on the pros and cons that each welfare system inherently possesses. Studying overseas will push me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to live independently. Experiencing another culture, environment, and country will open my eyes to the diversity in the world.

I begin seeing the world in a different lens.

Beyond school, I volunteer regularly with the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore.

In one of my earliest experiences volunteering, I was teaching a boy to write the alphabet “A”.

After struggling for thirty minutes, he threw up his arms, exclaiming,

“I don’t know how to write this!”

For him, the writing of such a simple alphabet had already prompted so much difficulty. It was a reminder that in the search for the academic “A”s in our lives, it is such a blessing to even have the chance to search.

Volunteering regularly has equipped me with empathy, which will aid me in better understanding my clients’ needs, finding lasting solutions for them.

Through social work, I hope to impact the world, shaping it, one person at a time, community by community, walking with my clients through some of their darkest emotional tunnels, and helping them to find the light again.

I hope these social work personal statement examples help you to craft your personal statement better. If you need more help, please look at advice I wrote on writing better personal statements.

You can also write to me at [email protected] .

All the best!

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Guide to Effective Social Work Personal Statements

Table of Contents

A social worker is someone who helps people navigate life’s challenges. They use a variety of skills, including emotional intelligence, communication, and problem-solving, to help people achieve their goals.

Social workers help clients understand how circumstances impact them and offer support and guidance to create positive change in their lives. If you need help crafting a  social worker personal statement , don’t fret. You’re in the right place.

Understanding Personal Statements

Personal statements are short paragraphs that showcase a person’s values, qualities, and character . They are important in all applications, whether job or college. 

The rationale behind personal statements is they help recruiters understand an applicant better. Personal statements are less about writing skills and more about effectively representing your best traits. Even so, many people still have a difficult time writing effective statements. 

Don’t get discouraged if you count among them. Here are some tips to help you write a compelling social work personal statement.

Tips for Writing a Social Work Personal Statement

Social work personal statements don’t have to be difficult. You need only follow a few rules to deliver a compelling representation of your values and character. 

Start by Introducing Your Passion

Begin your social work personal statement like any other essay. – With a compelling introduction.

Whether you’re applying to a university program or a job, recruiters will care about your passion and dedication to social work. Your first statement should show your connection to the field and your willingness to study. 

Use Clear, Concise Language

Your personal statement’s main purpose is to give recruiters a glimpse of your personality . Clear, concise language is the best way to deliver a strong message and allow readers to accurately understand your thoughts.

While you can add Social Work jargon, make sure to limit them. You wouldn’t want to muddle your message by overusing them.

Give Specific Illustrative Examples

Specific examples are key to showcasing your value and passion as a social worker. Specific examples also give the reader an idea of your social work experience and which cases you can handle. Remember that the most life-changing experiences will always have the most vivid details.

Leverage Emotion

Social work can get extremely stressful. For someone to forego expressing their emotions can be strange, given a social worker’s exposure to the harsh realities of the job. Don’t be afraid to show how your experiences made you feel and how they changed you. 

Showing your emotions makes for an authentic personal statement that is more likely to capture attention.

Proofread Your Work

Finally, take the time to go through your work. While mistakes are far from a reason to disqualify your application, they can hurt the impression you leave. Check your work for any spelling and grammatical errors and correct them accordingly.

Social Worker Personal Statement Samples

I am an experienced social worker, and my years of practice have instilled in me the capacity to comprehend individuals’ unique situations and needs. I can remain empathetic while maintaining a practical approach to problem-solving.

Additionally, I have developed the ability to exercise diplomacy in difficult conversations. This has been essential for fostering relationships between service providers and community members. 

I am confident that I possess the necessary experience and skill set to be an asset to any organization.

I aim to pursue a career in Social Work. I believe that gaining a degree from a reputable university is the best way to start my journey. My current role involves working with families in vulnerable home situations, guiding them through what can be an incredibly difficult process. This has given me first-hand experience of the positive impact that social work can have on people’s lives. I’ve also learned the importance of understanding both sociology and psychology when it comes to providing support. 

I am passionate about developing my skills and learning more to offer better care to those who need it most. I’m confident that a Social Work graduate course at a good university would give me the tools I need. It will also equip me with the necessary knowledge for different roles within the field. 

I look forward to continuing my studies and establishing a successful career where I can help make life better for disadvantaged families. I will apply all of my enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work to achieve this.

I have been working with children for years, helping them face the day-to-day issues of their health and well-being. Through my professional experience in a variety of roles, I have helped people from diverse backgrounds. They’ve learned to open up, read pages that changed lives, and play together as a group. 

They know they can rely on me. 

This has given me an invaluable opportunity to pursue social work in graduate school. Here, I am confident I can help more people in need and hone my craft even further. Knowing some require assistance is humbling yet empowering. It drives me to better myself daily to be fully equipped to make a positive impact.

As a Social Work student, I have committed myself to the well-being of children for years. My experience in working with them has given me invaluable insight into how best to approach them and provide the care they require. 

While not every situation is the same, my listening capacity lets me quickly ascertain each child’s circumstances. As such, it brings me great pleasure to make meaningful contributions toward empowering these vulnerable members of society.

As a social work student, I have deeply invested in advancing the well-being of underserved communities. With unwavering commitment and compassion, I strive to provide support for those who are facing difficult circumstances. 

As a lifelong learner and advocate for the marginalized, I work to refine my knowledge and develop innovative social work strategies. 

A  social worker personal statement   is a relatively easy task as long as you follow a set structure and apply our tips. Always remember the purpose of your content, and write with purpose. May you have a prosperous social work career! 

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to write an effective personal statement for a social work job

Many people incorporate a short personal statement at the top of their cv, but social work employers may ask for more. jonathan coxon, managing director of social work recruitment consultancy liquid personnel, gives six tips on how to sell yourself..

When applying for a social work job, you may be asked to write a covering letter or separate personal statement to accompany your application. More likely you will be asked to complete a specific application form for the employer, which will include a question along the lines of: “Please give your reasons for applying for this job and what you will bring to the team.” Here are six top tips on how to showcase your ability: 1. One size does not fit all One personal statement is not suitable for multiple applications – your statement should be tailored to each role you are applying for. Refer closely to the job description, the person specification – including any essential and desirable requirements – and any other relevant guidance provided by the employer. Focus on clearly explaining how your experience and skills will fulfil and exceed their requirements. 2. Demonstrate your knowledge with facts Don’t just make broad statements. It’s not sufficient to say: “I have a strong working knowledge of child protection procedures.” Instead, back this up with meaningful examples, such as: “I have worked in a child protection team for X months”, “I have completed a placement in a local authority child protection team”, “I have received additional training in recognising signs of abuse and neglect”, “I have held a caseload of X child protection cases”, or “I can conduct section 47 investigations to a high standard.” 3. Be concise and explicit Avoid waffle and ensure you put your points across in a concise way, keeping your statement relevant to the job in question. Rather than just describing your skills and experience, explain exactly why this is relevant to the organisation and how they will benefit from employing you. 4. Take your time Draft your personal statement carefully. If you’re filling in an application form, don’t just start writing directly onto the form – plan your answer first. Remember that this is one of your best chances to showcase your skills during the application process. Employers will have to read a massive selection of applications and CVs from potential new recruits, so yours needs to stand out and sell yourself well. There is a good chance that the job you’re applying for will involve written work (e.g. report writing), so your statement will provide the employer with a very clear indication of your written skills. This is another reason to plan carefully and check thoroughly. 5. Show you care Express your enthusiasm for the role and use positive language. One of the most important qualities for a social worker is a genuine desire to support other people, so make sure this comes across in your writing. 6. Remember the basics Read any instructions carefully and stick to the rules set out by the employer. Check if there is a word limit and whether you are allowed to use additional pages for your answer. Finally, and crucially, check your spelling and grammar thoroughly and ask someone else to take a look for you.

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Social work personal statement basics

According to University Campus Suffolk social work admissions tutor Martin Fookes, talking about your personality should not be the dominant feature of your personal statement. It’s your understanding of what social work is all about, and how you reflect on your experiences, skills, and prior reading that will indicate whether or not you are sufficiently well-prepared.

Here are some more tips gathered from tutors (with special thanks to staff at Anglia Ruskin, Leeds, Portsmouth, and Sheffield Hallam Universities, and University Campus Suffolk). You won't be able to cover them all, but they will help you to focus your application, or perhaps to see what you need to do to strengthen it.

Your knowledge of social work

• Your statement should demonstrate an understanding of what social work as a profession is all about – along with the skills, knowledge, and experience you will bring to it.
• Discuss what you’ve learned or what's inspired you from relevant books, magazines, websites, documentaries, or social issues reported in the media, but perhaps steer away from talking about popular literature.
• Going to university open days or conferences and talking to students and tutors will offer you some extra insights into the course.
• It’s okay to talk about personal experiences that shaped your interest in the degree, especially if you’re a mature applicant, but be prepared to talk openly about it at interview .
• Don't focus your interest on a narrow or specialist area of social work, but show a willingness to engage with issues that span the entire spectrum of society, including the elderly.

Relevant work and extra-curricular experience

• Make the most of every opportunity to gain experience of supporting people: in care homes, community schemes, youth clubs, play schemes, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, nurseries, mentoring, anti-bullying schemes, or working with the elderly or people with a disability.
• Always demonstrate what you’ve learned from your experience, and how it has helped you develop appropriate skills or qualities.
• Talk to social workers about the work they do, what they like about it, and what recent developments have impacted on their work, and reflect on this in your statement.
• Relevant transferable skills from employment or extra-curricular activities could also be worth mentioning.

The right skills and qualities for social work

• Demonstrate your resilience and the ability to analyse situations critically.
• You should also be able to show values of non-discriminatory behaviour and an understanding of the effects of disadvantage in society.
• Do also reflect on an aspect of your academic learning, and explain what it has taught you about social work, or any appropriate skills it has helped you develop – and if it’s relevant to you, perhaps mention barriers you've overcome yourself.
• Think about solid illustrative examples of your skills in action, especially if those skills are relevant to social work – organisation, committment, motivation, being able to work effectively with others, and so on.
• Try to avoid clichés – say more than just 'I have a passion for helping people' or 'I am a people person,' by demonstrating how and why. This is a career that will require you to work objectively within professional boundaries.

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Social work personal statement example 17.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. This is a quote that has always meant so much to me, especially when I was faced with many problems in my life. I have always had a great interest in helping and working with others, as far back as I can remember. Facing my own personal problems at the tender age of six made me insightful beyond my years. My own mother had an alcohol problem and when my parents divorced my father gained custody of my siblings and me. As the eldest child I grew up fast, I helped care for my brother and sisters on a daily basis.

My childhood involved a lot of social workers and court interventions that helped me gain an understanding of how social workers can intervene and help. It helped me develop empathy and sensitivity towards others, essential skills that a social worker requires. My personal problems made me determined to become a social worker and use my own experiences to help others facing similar difficulties.

I am currently in my second year of my Access diploma in Social Sciences. I studied sociology as one of my subjects last year. I really enjoyed this subject and especially enjoyed carrying out my coursework research on family diversity. I also previously studied Health and social care and covered a wide range of topics that relate to social work. I have previously worked at a children’s indoor play centre, a nursing home and home help. I am currently on voluntary placement in a disability centre. This has allowed me to cover a wide range of social services areas and it has given me a taste of each field I will be covering in a Social Work Degree. Working in each of these fields has helped me understand how to show respect and integrity to every individual I work with. I am a non- judgemental person and realise that different people face different problems.

I have researched Social work to a great extent to allow me to fully understand how complex a job within this area will be. I accessed the NISC and read up on practice policies as well as speaking to my auntie who has 20years experience as a social worker. I found that Social work will require honesty, the ability to problem solve, determination as well as a lot of patience and perseverance. These are all qualities I gained through personal and work experience and that make me ideal for this degree. I am committed and work well under pressure, completing my first year in my access diploma while pregnant and returning to my second year four weeks after having my son is one example.

I enjoy spending my spare time with my children, this always helps me relax and unwind after a very stressful day as they always put a smile on my face. I am part of my local Sure Start parent and toddler group that provides brilliant opportunities for individuals in deprived areas. I recently completed the baby massage course with my youngest son and I will be completing a nurture course soon that will provide me with extra skills needed for working with children. I have also completed a course in suicide prevention, an area that has unfortunately torn many families apart. These have all given me experience of what social work entails.

I want to study Social work as I want to use my professional knowledge and skills to help people make the most of their own abilities and empower them to be the best they can be. I want to assist people in solving their own problems as well as empowering them to develop skills so that they can do it themselves. Working in Social Services will allow me to devote my time and skills to help people function to the best of their abilities. Becoming a Social worker would not be just a career to me, it would be a vocation.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by bambieyes87 for application in 2012.

bambieyes87's Comments

I sent this personal statement to Ucas and received word back for a second personal statement for social work. I then forwarded my second statement and received an interview. I attended my interview on 23rd and have not heard any word yet. They said no news is good news and a couple of girls in my year have already received rejection letters. fingers crossed!!!

Related Personal Statements

I received word at end of.

Tue, 01/05/2012 - 09:52

I received word at end of April from two universities offering me conditional offers for social work. I ended up the only one from my access course gaining a place. Hope this personal statement is of some help :)

Congratulations and good luck

Fri, 21/09/2012 - 13:39

Congratulations and good luck x

Excellent personal statement.

Sat, 08/12/2012 - 17:39

Excellent personal statement. I've just finished mine. Yours was great to give me a guideline. Why did you have to do second personal statement?

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Money blog: Oasis resale U-turn as official reseller lowers fee amid criticism

The Money blog is your place for consumer and personal finance news and tips. Today's posts include Twickets lowering fees for Oasis tickets, the extension of the Household Support Fund and O2 Priority axing free Greggs. Listen to a Daily podcast on the Oasis ticket troubles as you scroll.

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Twickets has announced it is lowering its charges after some Oasis fans had to pay more than £100 in extra fees to buy official resale tickets.

The site is where the band themselves is directing people to buy second-hand tickets for face value - having warned people against unofficial third party sellers like StubHub and Viagogo.

One person branded the extra fees "ridiculous" (see more in 10.10 post), after many people had already been left disappointed at the weekend when Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing pushed tickets up by three times the original advertised fee.

Twickets said earlier that it typically charged a fee of 10-15% of the face value of the tickets.

But it has since said it will lower the charge due to "exceptional demand" from Oasis fans - taking ownership of an issue in a way fans will hope others follow. 

Richard Davies, Twickets founder, told the Money blog: "Due to the exceptional demand for the Oasis tour in 2025, Twickets have taken the decision to lower our booking fee to 10% and a 1% transactional fee (to cover bank charges) for all buyers of their tickets on our platform. In addition we have introduced a fee cap of £25 per ticket for these shows. Sellers of tickets already sell free of any Twickets charge.

"This ensures that Twickets remains hugely competitive against the secondary market, including sites such as Viagogo, Gigsberg and StubHub.

"Not only do these platforms inflate ticket prices way beyond their original face value but they also charge excessive booking fees, usually in the region of 30-40%. Twickets by comparison charges an average fee of around 12.5%"

The fee cap, which the Money blog understands is being implemented today, will apply to anyone who has already bought resale tickets through the site.

Mr Davies said Twickets was a "fan first" resale site and a "safe and affordable place" for people to trade unwanted tickets.

"The face value of a ticket is the total amount it was first purchased for, including any booking fee. Twickets does not set the face value price, that is determined by the event and the original ticketing company. The price listed on our platform is set by the seller, however no one is permitted to sell above the face-value on Twickets, and every ticket is checked before listing that it complies with this policy," he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people have complained to the regulator about how Oasis tickets were advertised ahead of going on sale. 

The Advertising Standards Authority said it had received 450 complaints about Ticketmaster adverts for the gigs.

Some  expressed their anger on social media , as tickets worth £148 were being sold for £355 on the site within hours of release, due to the "dynamic pricing" systems.

A spokesperson from ASA said the complainants argue that the adverts made "misleading claims about availability and pricing".

They added: "We're carefully assessing these complaints and, as such, can't comment any further at this time.

"To emphasise, we are not currently investigating these ads."

Ticketmaster said it does not set prices and its website says this is down to the "event organiser" who "has priced these tickets according to their market value".

Despite traditionally being an affordable staple of British cuisine, the average price for a portion of fish and chips has risen by more than 50% in the past five years to nearly £10, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Sonny and Shane "the codfather" Lee told Sky News of the challenges that owning J-Henry's Fish and Chip Shop brings and why prices have skyrocketed. 

"Potatoes, fish, utilities, cooking oil - so many things [are going up]," he said. 

Shane also said that he is used to one thing at a time increasing in price, but the outlook today sees multiple costs going up all at once.  

"Potatoes [were] priced right up to about £25 a bag - the previous year it was about £10 a bag," Sonny said, noting a bad harvest last year. 

He said the business had tried hake as a cheaper fish option, but that consumers continued to prefer the more traditional, but expensive, cod and haddock. 

"It's hard and we can we can absorb the cost to a certain extent, but some of it has to be passed on," Shane added. 

After a long Saturday for millions of Oasis fans in online queues, the culture secretary says surge pricing - which pushed the price of some tickets up by three times their original advertised value to nearly £400 - will be part of the government's review of the ticket market. 

On today's episode of the Daily podcast, host Niall Paterson speaks to secondary ticketing site Viagogo. While it wasn’t part of dynamic pricing, it has offered resale tickets for thousands of pounds since Saturday. 

Matt Drew from the company accepts the industry needs a full review, while Adam Webb, from the campaign group FanFair Alliance, explains the changes it would like to see.

We've covered the fallout of the Oasis sale extensively in the Money blog today - see the culture secretary's comments on the "utterly depressing" inflated pricing in our post at 6.37am, and Twickets, the official Oasis resale site, slammed by angry fans for its "ridiculous" added fees at 10.10am.

The growing backlash culminated in action from Twickets - the company said it would lower its charges after some fans had to pay more than £100 in extra fees for resale tickets (see post at 15.47).

Tap here to follow the Daily podcast - 20 minutes on the biggest stories every day

Last week we reported that employers will have to offer flexible working hours - including a four-day week - to all workers under new government plans.

To receive their full pay, employees would still have to work their full hours but compressed into a shorter working week - something some workplaces already do.

Currently, employees can request flexible hours as soon as they start at a company but employers are not legally obliged to agree.

The Labour government now wants to make it so employers have to offer flexible hours from day one, except where it is "not reasonably feasible".

You can read more of the details in this report by our politics team:

But what does the public think about this? We asked our followers on LinkedIn to give their thoughts in an unofficial poll.

It revealed that the overwhelming majority of people support the idea to compress the normal week's hours into fewer days - some 83% of followers said they'd choose this option over a standard five-day week.

But despite the poll showing a clear preference for a compressed week, our followers appeared divided in the comments.

"There's going to be a huge brain-drain as people move away from companies who refuse to adapt with the times and implement a 4 working week. This will be a HUGE carrot for many orgs," said Paul Burrows, principal software solutions manager at Reality Capture.

Louise McCudden, head of external affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices, said she wasn't surprised at the amount of people choosing longer hours over fewer days as "a lot of people" are working extra hours on a regular basis anyway.

But illustrator and administrative professional Leslie McGregor noted the plan wouldn't be possible in "quite a few industries and quite a few roles, especially jobs that are customer centric and require 'round the clock service' and are heavily reliant upon people in trades, maintenance, supply and transport". 

"Very wishful thinking," she said.

Paul Williamson had a similar view. He said: "I'd love to know how any customer first service business is going to manage this."

We reported earlier that anyone with O2 Priority will have their free weekly Greggs treats replaced by £1 monthly Greggs treats - see 6.21am post.

But did you know there are loads of other ways to get food from the nation's most popular takeaway for free or at a discount?

Downloading the Greggs app is a good place to start - as the bakery lists freebies, discounts and special offers there regularly. 

New users also get rewards just for signing up, so it's worth checking out. 

And there's a digital loyalty card which you can add virtual "stamps" to with each purchase to unlock discounts or other freebies.  

Vodafone rewards

Seriously begrudged Virgin Media O2 customers may want to consider switching providers. 

The Vodafone Rewards app, VeryMe, sometimes gives away free Greggs coffees, sausage rolls, sweet treats and more to customers.

Monzo bank account holders can grab a sausage roll (regular or vegan), regular sized hot drink, doughnut or muffin every week. 

Birthday cake

Again, you'll need the Greggs award app for this one - which will allow you to claim one free cupcake, cream cake or doughnut for your birthday each year.

Octopus customers

Octopus Energy customers with smart meters can claim one free drink each week, in-store from Greggs (or Caffè Nero).

The Greggs freebie must be a regular size hot drink.

Make new friends

If you're outgoing (and hungry), it may be worth befriending a Greggs staff member.

The staff discount at Greggs is 50% on own-produced goods and 25% off branded products. 

If you aren't already aware, Iceland offers four Greggs sausage rolls in a multi-pack for £3. 

That means, if you're happy to bake it yourself, you'll only be paying 74p per sausage roll. 

Millions of Britons could receive extra cash to help with the cost of living this winter after the government extended the Household Support Fund.

A £421m pot will be given to local councils in England to distribute, while £79m will go to the devolved administrations.

The fund will now be available until April 2025 having been due to run out this autumn.

Councils decide how to dish out their share of the fund but it's often via cash grants or vouchers.

Many councils also use the cash to work with local charities and community groups to provide residents with key appliances, school uniforms, cookery classes and items to improve energy efficiency in the home.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "The £22bn blackhole inherited from the previous governments means we have to take tough decisions to fix the foundations of our economy.

"But extending the Household Support Fund is the right thing to do - provide targeted support for those who need it most as we head into the winter months."

The government has been criticised for withdrawing universal winter fuel payments for pensioners of up to £300 this winter - with people now needing to be in receipt of certain means-tested benefits to qualify.

People should contact their local council for details on how to apply for the Household Support Fund - they can find their council  here .

Lloyds Bank app appears to have gone down for many, with users unable to see their transactions. 

Down Detector, which monitors site outages, has seen more than 600 reports this morning.

It appears to be affecting online banking as well as the app.

There have been some suggestions the apparent issue could be due to an update.

Another disgruntled user said: "Absolutely disgusting!! I have an important payment to make and my banking is down. There was no warning given prior to this? Is it a regular maintenance? Impossible to get hold of someone to find out."

A Lloyds Bank spokesperson told Sky News: "We know some of our customers are having issues viewing their recent transactions and our app may be running slower than usual.

"We're sorry about this and we're working to have everything back to normal soon."

We had anger of unofficial resale prices, then Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing - and now fees on the official resale website are causing consternation among Oasis fans.

The band has encouraged anyone wanting resale tickets to buy them at face value from Ticketmaster or Twickets - after some appeared for £6,000 or more on other sites.

"Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters," Oasis said.

With that in mind, fans flocked to buy resale tickets from the sites mentioned above - only to find further fees are being added on. 

Mainly Oasis, a fan page, shared one image showing a Twickets fee for two tickets as high as £138.74. 

"Selling the in demand tickets completely goes against the whole point of their company too… never mind adding a ridiculous fee on top of that," the page shared. 

Fan Brad Mains shared a photo showing two tickets priced at £337.50 each (face value of around £150, but increased due to dynamic pricing on Saturday) - supplemented by a £101.24 Twickets fee. 

That left him with a grand total of £776.24 to pay for two tickets.

"Actually ridiculous this," he  said on X .

"Ticketmaster inflated price then sold for 'face value' on Twickets with a £100 fee. 2 x £150 face value tickets for £776, [this] should be illegal," he added. 

Twickets typically charges between 10-15% of the ticket value as its own fee. 

We have approached the company for comment.

Separately, the government is now looking at the practice of dynamic pricing - and we've had a response to that from the Competition and Markets Authority this morning.

It said: "We want fans to get a fair deal when they go to buy tickets on the secondary market and have already taken action against major resale websites to ensure consumer law is being followed properly. 

"But we think more protections are needed for consumers here, so it is positive that the government wants to address this. We now look forward to working with them to get the best outcomes for fans and fair-playing businesses."

Consumer protection law does not ban dynamic pricing and it is a widely used practice. However, the law also states that businesses should not mislead consumers about the price they must pay for a product, either by providing false or deceptive information or by leaving out important information or providing it too late.

By James Sillars , business reporter

It's a false start to the end of the summer holidays in the City.

While London is mostly back at work, trading is fairly subdued due to the US Labor (that's labour, as in work) Day holiday.

US markets will not open again until Tuesday.

There's little direction across Europe with the FTSE 100 trading nine points down at 8,365.

Leading the gainers was Rightmove - up 24%. The property search website is the subject of a possible cash and shares takeover offer by Australian rival REA.

The company is a division of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

One other point to note is the continuing fluctuation in oil prices.

Brent crude is 0.7% down at the start of the week at $76.

Dragging the cost lower is further evidence of weaker demand in China.

Australia's REA Group is considering a takeover of Rightmove, in a deal which could be worth about £4.36bn.

REA Group said in a statement this morning there are "clear similarities" between the companies, which have "highly aligned cultural values".

Rightmove is the UK's largest online property portal, while REA is Australia's largest property website. 

It employs more than 2,800 people and is majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp,.

REA Group said: "REA sees a transformational opportunity to apply its globally leading capabilities and expertise to enhance customer and consumer value across the combined portfolio, and to create a global and diversified digital property company, with number one positions in Australia and the UK.

"There can be no certainty that an offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer may be made."

Rightmove has been approached for comment.

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The Ultimate Guide to Nizhny Novgorod (and Beyond!)

Nizhny Novgorod… The city where I spent eight months of my life and never regretted a single day of it. My dear reader, if you are reading these lines, it is likely that you are planning a trip to this wonderful city yourself. Perhaps, you do not know where to start. I too was in your shoes so I would know. Maybe, you do not know where to start because you do not know much Russian. Maybe you do know some Russian but realize that there is not much written about the city even in that language. I know, I know… Let us fix this severe injustice to one gem of a city once and for all, right now. Below, you can find two things: a categorized list of all my articles to date on Nizhny Novgorod and beyond, collected here for a much easier access to them all; and a carefully curated “best of” list for the city for those who only plan to spend a few days in this wonderful place.

No more will the wonders of Nizhny Novgorod go unnoticed by the rest of the world!

(Ok, this may be going a tad too much…)

What to do in Nizhny Novgorod?

Feeling bored? Read these articles to figure out what to do next in the city!

• Nizhny Novgorod’s Kremlin
• Keeping Up with the Nizhny Novgorodians: Online Catalogues for Events in the City
• Musical Nizhny Novgorod: Finest Spots in Town for Music Lovers
• When Walking Around Becomes a Hobby: Parks of Nizhny Novgorod
• Feeling Artsy in Nizhny Novgorod: Art Museums of Nizhny
• Museums of History in Nizhny Novgorod
• Technical Museums of Nizhny Novgorod

Where to eat in Nizhny Novgorod?

Feeling peckish? Not on my watch! Go figure out what to eat now by reading the following articles.

• American Fast Food in the Russian Federation (in 2022)
• A Short Guide to Shawarmas of Nizhny Novgorod
• Vegetarian Shawarmas of Nizhny Novgorod
• Falafels of Nizhny Novgorod
• Pizzerias of Nizhny Novgorod
• Pescetarian Nizhny: Budget Friendly Fish Sandwiches Around Town
• Shellfish Nizhny: Affordable Shrimp Options in Town
• A Guide to Business Lunches in Nizhny Novgorod: Slavic Edition
• A Guide to Business Lunches in Nizhny Novgorod: “Oriental” Edition
• A Guide to Business Lunches in Nizhny Novgorod: “Modern” Edition
• A Guide to Business Lunches in Nizhny Novgorod: “Exotic” Edition
• Random Food Spots Around Nizhny Novgorod
• Sweet Nizhny Novgorod: Bakeries and Cafes in Town
• Drinking Nizhny Novgorod: Pubs of the City

Miscellaneous Articles About Nizhny Novgorod

Feeling confused? Here is a list that will surely confuse you further with its randomness!  

• Public Transportation in Nizhny Novgorod
• Shopping in Nizhny Novgorod
• Temples of Nizhny Novgorod
• 4th of November in the Russian Federation: Unity Day
• Celebrating the New Year in The Russian Federation
• Maslenitsa: Mardi Gras of Russia?
• A Little Soviet Getaway: Bor
• The Quirky World of “Russian” Instant Noodles
• Miscellaneous Bits and Pieces about Nizhny Novgorod

Arkhangelsk – Mini Arc

Feeling adventurous? Why not fly to Arkhangelsk after reading what to do and what to eat over there?

• Arkhangelsk: A City Worthy of an Archangel?
• Malye Korely: A Sliver of Heaven in Arkhangelsk
• Eating Out in the North: Where to Feast in Arkhangelsk

Kazan – Mini Arc

Feeling reasonable? Well yeah, Arkhangelsk may not be for everyone, but there really is not any reason not to visit Kazan if you will be staying in Nizhny Novgorod for a while.

• Soviet Kazan: An Era Long Gone?
• Tatar Kazan: A Mix of Identities
• The True Highlight of Kazan: Temple of All Religions
• The Land of Meat and Potatoes: Tatar Fast Food
• Top Pizze rias of Kazan
• Most Welcome Yet Unexpected: Vietnamese Food in Kazan

Best of Nizhny Novgorod

Alright, I can almost hear you say: “oh geez man, let me just stay in Nizhny for a few months to make sure that I experience everything you wrote.” I suppose you are right, not all will study in Nizhny, nor work there, some will just pass by and so on. If you do not have months to explore the city, but only a few days, perhaps just one, what then? Where to go and what to eat? Well, without much humility, I would strongly recommend you visit the following spots first and eat at these fine establishments before anywhere else. These are the must haves of Nizhny, according to yours truly!

DO AND SEE!

• See the city’s Kremlin with your own eyes, and maybe visit the State Russian Art Museum there if you have the time.
• Go to the lower side to gawk at the Cathedral of Aleksander Nevsky and all the goodies it holds.
• Spend some time in the gorgeous Switzerland Park and watch a sunset there, or perhaps travel to the stars at Planetarium 1.
• Appreciate the unique ornaments of the State Bank on the main pedestrian street, Bol’shaya Pokrovskaya.
• Walk down Chkalov’s Stairs and then walk along the Volga until you visit the beautiful Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

EAT AND DRINK!

• Savour the finest ramen this city (and perhaps the entire Federation) has to offer at Fukuramen.
• Eat some decent pizza at either Yula or Pech, depending on which bank of the Oka you are exploring at the time.
• Enjoy the company and service of the finest people in town by grabbing a mug of beer in Freakadely.
• Go to Öö if you want to taste the best cocktails in town instead, in an almost hidden basement no less!
• Head to Gellert for the best beer in town as well as some quick and rather affordable grubs.
• Have some Cinnabon rolls at Cinnabon alongside with a hot drink of your choice to survive the Russian winter.
• Try a business lunch at Skoba, with their own unique takes on many modern dishes.

Well, there you go. Almost a year spent in an unassuming “little” Russian city, one that surprised me at every turn, and one that made me say “thank you” to my former self for choosing to come here just a few months earlier. It was an amazing stay to say the least, and I did not even explore the outlying areas of the city, so, in all honesty, this guide can be expanded sometime in the future quite easily. I cannot say for sure whether I will be back to Nizhny at any point, but if I do, I know that I will be happy to do so. It feels quite weird to be able to put months of my experience into such a short guide, but if this will help anyone out there who is willing to come and enjoy this city, then I guess it will be doing its job just right. I wish you all good luck and best of times!