Martin Lewis has called for households earning under £40,000 to act now and avoid missing out on money owed to them.

The MoneySavingExpert warned a lot of people were missing out on extra cash through Universal Credit because they did not know they were eligible.

Mr Lewis urged any household earning under £40,000 to use a free to use benefit calculator to find out if they are missing out on financial support.

Giving evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) sub-committee, Mr Lewis said: “My rule of thumb is if you have family income of under £40,000 then you should absolutely check on a benefits calculator whether you are entitled to Universal Credit.”

Warrington Guardian:

It is not the first time he has urged people to take action on the issue.

Previously, on The Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV, he said: “There are up to seven million of you who are eligible and who are missing out.

"I am not, repeat, saying you will get it.

"I am saying it's definitely worth 10 minutes of your time to go onto an online benefits calculator- there are a good few of them out there - and it should take about 10 minutes to put all of your details in to see if you are due.

“Remember, benefits aren't just for those out of work. 40% of those on Universal Credit are in work.”

You can find out if you are eligible for Universal Credit here.

Government guidance says: “You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or need help with your living costs. You could be:

  • out of work
  • working (including self-employed or part time)
  • unable to work, for example because of a health condition

To claim you must:

  • live in the UK
  • be aged 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
  • be under State Pension age
  • have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments”