Free UK Things Worth Knowing About: 9 Services Most People Never Use
Here’s something we keep noticing: the best free stuff in the UK isn’t hidden, it’s just badly advertised. Nobody puts up billboards for the Pension Tracing Service. Your library won’t text you to say there are thousands of audiobooks waiting on your phone. So people pay for things they could have for nothing, or never find money that’s already theirs.
This is the first Kings Of The Underground crew picks list for the Share section: things we’d pass to a mate across the table. Every one is free, official and current as of November 2026, and we’ve linked straight to the source so you don’t have to take our word for it.
1. Your library card is a free streaming subscription
Joining your local library is free, and GOV.UK points you straight to your council’s library service (GOV.UK: Join your local library). What most people miss is what comes with the card these days. Most UK library services lend ebooks and audiobooks through apps such as Libby (OverDrive: Libby) or BorrowBox (BorrowBox). Download the app, add your library card, and borrow on your phone. Loans simply expire, so there are no late fees to forget about.
Many libraries also offer free digital newspapers and magazines, free internet access and study space. Exactly what’s on offer depends on your council, so check your own library’s website.
Told straight: the catalogue won’t match Audible, and popular titles have waiting lists. But for nothing a month, it’s hard to argue with.
2. The big national museums are free to walk into
Many of the UK’s major national museums don’t charge for general entry. The Natural History Museum in London is one example: general admission is free, though some special exhibitions are paid and booking may be recommended at busy times (Natural History Museum: Visit). The same goes for plenty of others, from London to Cardiff to Edinburgh, so check the museum’s own site before you go.
Told straight: “free” usually means the permanent galleries. The headline exhibition is often ticketed, and the café definitely isn’t free.
3. The nation’s art collection, online
Art UK is a registered charity that gives everyone free digital access to the UK’s national collection of art: over 750,000 paintings, sculptures, prints and more, held by around 3,400 collections including museums, councils, hospitals, universities and town halls, many of which are rarely on display (Art UK). You can search by artist, place or subject, which means you can find out what’s hanging (or sitting in storage) in your own town. It’s free to browse and a great rabbit hole for a rainy afternoon.
4. Check any car’s MOT history before you buy
Looking at a used car? GOV.UK lets you check the MOT history of a vehicle from 2005 onwards, for free, using just the registration number (GOV.UK: Check the MOT history of a vehicle). You’ll see past results, recorded mileage, and failure and advisory items.
Told straight: it won’t tell you about outstanding finance or whether a car has been written off; that needs a paid check. But mileage that suddenly drops, or the same advisory year after year, tells you plenty, and this costs nothing.
5. A free NHS Health Check if you’re 40 to 74
If you live in England and you’re aged 40 to 74 without certain existing conditions, you should be invited for a free NHS Health Check every five years (NHS: NHS Health Check). It looks at your risk of things like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. If you haven’t had an invite, the NHS page explains how to ask.
Told straight: this one’s England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes, so check locally.
6. Free pensions guidance from Pension Wise
If you’re 50 or over and have a UK-based defined contribution pension, Pension Wise offers a free, impartial appointment explaining your options for taking the money, how each is taxed and how to avoid scams. Some people under 50 qualify too, such as those retiring early through ill health or who have inherited a pension. It doesn’t cover the State Pension or final salary schemes. It’s a government-backed service from MoneyHelper, and you can do it online or book a phone appointment (MoneyHelper: Pension Wise). It’s guidance rather than personal advice, but it’s free, there’s no sales pitch, and with pension decisions being some of the biggest money choices most of us make, it’s worth an hour.
7. Track down a pension you’ve lost
Had a few jobs? Moved house? It’s easy to lose track of an old workplace pension. The government’s free Pension Tracing Service helps you find contact details for a pension scheme you’ve lost touch with (GOV.UK: Find pension contact details). It won’t tell you whether you have money in it or how much, but it puts you in touch with the people who can.
Told straight: be wary of companies offering to “find your pension” for a fee. The official route is free.
8. Find old bank and building society accounts
Forgotten a savings account from years ago? My Lost Account is a free service that brings together the tracing schemes of UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and NS&I, so one form searches for lost personal bank, building society and NS&I accounts, even if the bank has since merged or closed (My Lost Account). If you’ve ever thought “didn’t I have a savings book somewhere?”, this is the place to start.
Told straight: it only finds accounts classed as lost, usually ones untouched for around 15 years. If you know which bank it was and they still exist, ask them directly. And never pay anyone to do this search.
9. Check the flood risk of where you live (or might live)
Before you rent or buy, GOV.UK lets you check the long-term flood risk for an area in England, from rivers, the sea, surface water and more (GOV.UK: Check your long term flood risk). It takes a postcode and two minutes, and it’s worth knowing before you sign anything. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own services, linked from the same page.
Pass it on
That’s the point of the Share section: picks that get better the more people know about them. If one of these saved you a few quid or turned up an old pension, tell someone else. And if you’ve got a free UK service you reckon belongs on this list, let us know and we’ll check it out.
Sources checked 1 November 2026. Services change, so always check the official link before relying on anything here.
