Surprising freebies and bonuses from around the world
lovemoney staff
20 November 2016
Government gifts
The world’s governments might not always get it right, but they do offer some surprisingly good perks from time to time. From hot dogs to health care, we round up some of the best freebies from around the world.
Australia: Free hot dogs on Election Day
There are many perks of living down under, but free hot dogs on Election Day has definitely become one of them. The ‘election sausage sizzles’ are designed to entice people to vote and have been a tradition since the 1940s.
Japan: A gift for those who reach 100
A silver cup worth £45 is given to all citizens who reach the age of 100, though this is now being reconsidered because of the sheer number of people living for a century or more. A less expensive gift is still expected to be handed out.
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Russia: Free land
The Russian Government is offering one free hectare of land in the Far East of the country, with ownership transferred in five years if there is no illegal activity taking place. This is to encourage young citizens to populate the area.
Northern Ireland: Free prescriptions
In Northern Ireland, prescription charges have been abolished, so all prescriptions dispensed in the country are free, even for patients visiting from other parts of the UK.
New Zealand: $3,000 to work
New Zealand’s ‘$3k to Work’ scheme is a non-taxable NZ$3,000 (£1,500) incentive payment for people who need to relocate to secure sustainable, full-time employment.
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United States: Free mobile phone and talk plan
Low-income residents in America can receive a free basic mobile phone and talk plan in order to find work and keep in touch with family, friends and medical services.
Sweden: Extended parental leave
The Swedish Government has the most generous parental leave in the world – mothers and fathers are entitled to 480 days of paid leave (90 of which are reserved for dads), as well as subsidised childcare.
Singapore: A bonus for more babies
Singapore’s Baby Bonus Scheme now compensates parents with S$8,000 (£3,896) for the first and second child, and S$10,000 (£4,870) for the third and any subsequent child, subject to eligibility. The money is paid out in five instalments to help cover the costs of raising a child.
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Portugal: A bonus for more babies
Officials in Alcoutim, Portugal, have created the Cash-for-Babies scheme, paying out around €4,500 (£4,430) to families for each newborn, in an attempt to encourage a baby boom in a town that has lost a staggering one third of its population in 20 years.
Hungary: A bonus for more babies
In 2015, Hungary launched a scheme to boost the country’s birth rate. In order to encourage procreation, grants enabling young married couples to buy a detached house will be available on the provision that they will have three children or more in the future.
Italy: New parent payments
Italy is also facing a fast-declining birth rate and has offered various baby bonuses over the years. The Government currently pays €80 (£61) a month to new parents until the child reaches the age of three.
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Spain: New parent payments
Spain is suffering from a declining birth rate too. In order to encourage its citizens to have children, €2,500 (£1,915) is paid out to the parents of every child born.
France: Maternity grants
France’s fertility rate has risen in recent years, spurred on by the €1,200 (£892) grant given in the seventh month of pregnancy, subsidised childcare, and free full-day preschool.
Canada: Basic guaranteed income
The city of Dauphin experimented with a basic income guarantee (BIG) in the 1970s. More recently, Kingston Council in Ontario (pictured), voted in favour of endorsing BIG, meaning everybody is granted sufficient income to meet basic needs and live with dignity, regardless of work status.
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Netherlands: Basic guaranteed income
The Dutch Government has also begun a basic income trial in the city of Utrecht (pictured).
Norway: Child benefit for all children
Norway has the most generous welfare state in the world including child benefit for all children. All university students, including foreign students, get free tuition too.
Slovenia: Free education for foreign students
Slovenia has 150 English language programs, and only charges a registration fee – no tuition in order to encourage more foreign students to study and work in the country.
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Germany: Free education for foreign students
Germany has 900 programs in English and is also keen to attract foreign students to tuition-free universities, due to a shortage of skilled workers throughout the country.
Finland: Free education
It’s widely held that this Nordic country has the best education system in the world, offering free school meals and tuition fees to all. Unsurprisingly, it has a 100% literacy rate. The Government is also planning a basic income trial over the next two years.
Iceland: Free university tuition
There are no tuition fees at public universities in Iceland, but you will have to pay a compulsory and non-refundable registration fee. This is usually only around €100-250 (£88-221), so it certainly still maintains its perk status.
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United Kingdom: Free healthcare
The National Health Service (NHS) provides free healthcare to residents in the UK. Despite controversies about mismanagement and waiting times it’s still regarded as one of the best free healthcare systems in the world.
Denmark: Free healthcare
Denmark, like all Scandinavian countries, isn’t short of its perks. But one of the biggest freebies is free healthcare. It’s funded, much like the UK’s NHS, through taxation, and the country spends around 9.8% of its GDP on it.
Poland: Free healthcare
Poland is also fortunate to have a free healthcare system, which is also subsidised through taxation.
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