Savings
Help to Save Tracker: Monthly Deposits and 2-Year / 4-Year Bonus Planner (UK)
If you’re eligible for Help to Save, you can pay in £1–£50 each calendar month and earn a 50% government bonus paid after year 2 and year 4 — use a simple Google Sheet to log deposits, running totals, and projected bonuses, and always confirm eligibility and bonus rules on GOV.UK.
This article is general information about the Help to Save scheme and record-keeping, not personalised financial advice. Rules and eligibility can change. Check GOV.UK Help to Save or the HMRC app before you open an account or rely on a projected bonus.
Who this is for
This is for UK savers who may be eligible for Help to Save — a government-backed account that pays 50p for every £1 you save, over up to 4 years — and who want a calm monthly log in Google Sheets.
Eligibility is defined on GOV.UK, not in this article. If you are unsure, use the official checker and apply only if you qualify.
This is not the same as a Christmas gift list or a 52-week challenge. Those are habit tools. Help to Save is a specific HMRC scheme with deposit caps and bonus timing.
Why now (short)
During UK Savings Week, HMRC published figures on 21 September 2026: more than £300 million paid out in Help to Save bonuses; 656,700 accounts opened (stats to end of April 2026); the scheme has been made permanent; and eligibility is due to expand from 2028 (earning criteria removed for people with caring responsibilities; scheme open to all Universal Credit claimants — about 1.5 million more households in HMRC’s wording). Source: HMRC news.
Useful context — then get back to deposits and bonuses. Check GOV.UK nearer 2028 for the live expansion rules.
How Help to Save works in plain English
From the live GOV.UK “How it works” page (re-check before you rely on figures):
| Feature | Live GOV.UK summary |
|---|---|
| Bonus rate | 50p for every £1 saved (50%) |
| Monthly deposits | £1 to £50 per calendar month |
| Miss a month? | You do not have to pay in every month |
| Cap per month | Max £50 even if you pay several times |
| Account length | Up to 4 years, then it closes |
| Bonuses | End of year 2 and year 4 |
| Withdrawals | Allowed to your bank account, but may affect the bonus |
| Close early | You miss the next bonus and cannot open another Help to Save account |
HMRC’s 21 September 2026 news frames the maximum as saving up to £2,400 over 4 years → up to £1,200 government bonus (paid to your bank account, not into the Help to Save pot). Treat that as HMRC’s framing and confirm in your account / on GOV.UK.
Bonus maths (from HMRC “Further Information” — verify in your account):
- After 2 years: first bonus = 50% of the highest balance saved in that first period
- After 4 years: final bonus = 50% of the difference between the highest balance in years 1–2 and the highest balance in years 3–4; if the highest balance does not increase, no final bonus
Withdrawals and missed months can change those highest-balance figures. Your HMRC Help to Save account is the official scoreboard; a spreadsheet is only a habit log and estimate.
Eligibility in one screen
As of the live eligibility page:
- You are receiving Universal Credit, and
- You (with your partner if it is a joint claim) had take-home pay of £1 or more in your last monthly assessment period, and
- You live in the UK (with limited Crown / armed forces overseas exceptions)
Couples on a joint Universal Credit claim can each apply for their own account — separately.
If you stop claiming benefits, GOV.UK says you can keep using the account.
Apply via GOV.UK or the HMRC app — follow the official steps; do not invent forms from this article.
Sheet columns for a Google Sheets tracker
Suggested monthly log:
- Month (e.g. Oct 2026)
- Deposit (£) — £0 if you skipped
- Running deposits (£)
- Estimated balance notes — optional; mark if you withdrew
- Highest balance this half — optional helper for bonus estimates
- Projected year-2 bonus (£) — estimate only
- Projected year-4 bonus (£) — estimate only
- Withdrawn? (Y/N)
- Notes
Label every bonus column estimate. Recalculate after any withdrawal. Prefer the HMRC app’s bonus view when it differs from your sheet.
Worked mini-example (fictional only)
Example only — not a promise of your bonus.
Sam is eligible and aims for £50 most months.
| Period | What Sam does | Illustrative note |
|---|---|---|
| Months 1–24 | £50 × 24 = £1,200 paid in, no withdrawals | First bonus estimate at 50% of highest balance — if highest balance were £1,200, a £600 first bonus would match HMRC’s “50% of highest balance” framing (check your account) |
| Months 25–48 | Continues £50/month where possible | Final bonus depends on whether the highest balance in years 3–4 rises above years 1–2 — per HMRC’s difference rule |
If Sam withdraws heavily in year 3, the final bonus can shrink or disappear even if total paid-in looks large. That is why the sheet tracks withdrawals, not only deposits.
Habit tips
- Set a standing order for an amount you can afford (£1–£50)
- Missing a month is fine — pay what you can next calendar month
- Do not close the account early if you still want the next bonus (per GOV.UK)
- Keep an emergency buffer elsewhere so you are less tempted to drain Help to Save
For household budgeting around the standing order, see UK monthly budget in Google Sheets. For seasonal spend that competes with savings, see the Christmas savings tracker.
Distinct from Christmas / challenge trackers
| Tool | Job |
|---|---|
| Help to Save tracker (this guide) | Official scheme deposits + 2yr/4yr bonus estimates |
| Christmas savings tracker | Gift list + January bills buffer |
| Monthly budget sheet | Whole-household planned vs actual |
Do not merge them into one muddled tab if that hides Help to Save’s calendar-month £50 cap.
How UkMoneySheets sheets fit
There is no Help to Save calculator in the shop. The nearest sheet is the savings challenge sheet on UkMoneySheets, a habit tracker for regular saving. It is not a Help to Save calculator.
Google Sheets only (not Excel); PDF delivery with a Sheets link; File → Make a copy.
A shop template does not open a Help to Save account, calculate HMRC’s official bonus, or replace GOV.UK.
FAQ
Who can open a Help to Save account?
Follow GOV.UK eligibility. At time of writing it centres on Universal Credit with take-home pay of £1+ in the last assessment period (plus UK residence rules).
How much can I pay in each month?
Between £1 and £50 per calendar month — How it works.
When do I get the Help to Save bonus?
At the end of the second and fourth years, based on how much you have saved — paid to your bank account.
How is the 2-year vs 4-year bonus calculated?
HMRC’s 21 Sep 2026 further information: year-2 bonus = 50% of highest balance in the first period; year-4 bonus = 50% of the rise in highest balance between the first two years and the last two years (no rise → no final bonus). Verify in your account / on GOV.UK.
What if I withdraw money or miss a month?
Missing a month is allowed. Withdrawals are allowed but may affect the bonus. Closing early means missing the next bonus and you cannot open another account — GOV.UK.
Has Help to Save been made permanent / what’s changing in 2028?
HMRC’s 21 Sep 2026 news says the scheme is now permanent and eligibility expands from 2028. Check GOV.UK nearer the time for live detail.
Is this financial advice?
No.
Soft next step
- Check eligibility and open (if you qualify) on GOV.UK or the HMRC app
- Log each calendar month’s deposit in a Google Sheet
- Treat bonus columns as estimates until HMRC shows the official figure
- If you want a habit sheet beside this log, the nearest fit is the savings challenge sheet on UkMoneySheets. It is not a Help to Save calculator.
Small monthly amounts. Official bonus rules. Your sheet keeps the habit honest.
Disclaimer
Not tax or financial advice. Rules, allowances and product names change — GOV.UK is the source of truth. Confirm the live Etsy listing before purchase. UkMoneySheets templates are Google Sheets only (never Excel), delivered as a PDF with a copy link, prices in GBP.
Browse UkMoneySheets on Etsy
