Access for All scheme celebrates major milestones in creating a fairer borough

Access for All is Britain’s best concession scheme and provides eligible residents 50% to 100% discounts on key council services and local activities, aiming to make them more affordable for all and ensure that everyone can access the opportunities which make Wandsworth so special.

So far, over 6,500 residents have signed up, including many in receipt of Universal Credit, Free School Meals and Carer’s Allowance.

Members have already benefitted from:

• Free or discounted use of the borough’s leisure centres, with almost 30,000 visits through the scheme since May, and over 3,000 free tickets for Tooting Bec Lido
• Thousands of discounted tickets sold for flagship London Borough of Culture events like Country on the Common, Battersea Park in Concert and Secret Cinema’s Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical
• Free school uniform vouchers of up to £170 for 1,200 students entering Reception or Year 7 ahead of the new school year
• Concession memberships with micro-mobility providers Lime, Forest and Voi, providing half-price discounts for e-scooter and e-bike hire, with over 100 members already signed up
• 136 Baby Boxes allocated to new parents, providing them with essentials goods to support their baby’s early years and linking them into the council’s Family Hub services

Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “Access for All is about making Wandsworth fairer, more inclusive and ensuring no one is priced out of accessing key services and local activities.

“The scheme’s success so far speaks for itself. We’re delighted to see thousands of people already signed up and benefitting from the wide range of fantastic offers available.

“We’re proud to be leading the way nationally, providing both the lowest Council Tax in the country and Britain’s best concession scheme, easing the financial burden facing families during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and making a real difference in local people's lives.”

The scheme is constantly evolving, using a data-driven and feedback-led approach to identify new potential offers that could support residents. This includes the recent expansion to private sector partners, including Lime and Forest e-bikes and Voi e-scooters, aiming to bring business to the borough and provide residents with a range of new and exciting offers.

It has also recently been recognised by the Local Government Association as an example of innovative and best practice within local government, with other local authorities looking to Wandsworth for advice on how to implement something similar in other areas of the country.

The Access for All scheme is a key part of Wandsworth Council’s commitment to building a fairer borough. It complements universal support measures that benefit all residents, such as delivering the largest Cost of Living Fund in London, expanding and renovating our brilliant Family Hubs, and partnering with Dolly Parton’s charity to gift a free book each month to all Wandsworth children from birth until they turn five.

How to sign up?

It’s quick and easy to sign up to become an Access for All member. All approved applicants will be given a digital membership card that can use to access the offers.

This is saved in your smartphone’s digital wallet, or you can have a physical card if a smartphone is not available.

Proof of eligibility will be required to apply for a membership card, but then members only need to show their membership card when accessing any of the offers.

Apply for a membership card

To see the full list of offers and check out the eligibility criteria, please head to the dedicated Access for All webpage.

Partner with the scheme

If you are a local business and have an offer you would like to add, or an event or product we could partner with you on, please email us on accessforall@wandsworth.gov.uk. We would love to hear from you.