MARTIN Lewis said he was “almost in tears” after being unable to help a single mum afford her energy bills on his money saving show last night.
On his ITV show, The Martin Lewis Show, last night, the consumer guru said he was left “shaking” after a viewer called in about her rocketing energy costs.
Martin, unable to help the viewer – who had lost her partner during the Covid crisis and was struggling to make ends meet – said “intervention is needed”.
Brits are facing a cost of living crunch, with many paying up to thousands more for food, fuel, transport and energy costs.
Martin warned Brits earlier that day on the Good Morning Britain show that millions could face energy bill rises of £600 within months.
But as the current advice is not to switch suppliers, there is little that consumers can do to get a better deal elsewhere and save cash on their heating bills.
It meant that Martin couldn’t do much to help one struggling viewer who phoned into the show last night looking for advice from the consumer champion.
The viewer said that she was “really worried” about paying her energy bills after losing her partner and struggling with health issues herself.
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She said she with currently with British Gas and that “prices are rising rapidly” on her energy bill.
She asked Martin whether she should switch from being on the price cap to locking into a fixed deal.
Martin said the vast majority of people should “still be doing nothing” and stick on the price cap instead of switching to a fixed deal.
The price cap limits how much providers can charge on your energy bills, which is currently £1,277.
Martin said that in general you should stick to being on the price cap, because there are only a few fixed deals which are worth switching to.
He said in a tweet last night after his show: “I feel near tears after doing my show.
“I started doing what I do out of a passion for financial justice and providing solutions.
“To be unable to help a single mum who lost her partner in covid afford her energy bills leaves me feeling impotent. I’m shaking. Intervention is needed.”
How to drive down your energy costs
There are ways you can try and slash money off your heating bills – here’s tips to paying less this year.
Winter fuel payments
You could get up to £300 off your fuel payments during the coldest months of the year with the annual tax-free benefit that’s available.
You’re eligible for the money if you were born on or before October 5, 1954 or you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 21 to 27, 2020 – called the “qualifying week”.
Cold weather payments
Low income households can get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the cold weather payment scheme too.
You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is zero degrees celsius or below over the space of a week.
You must receive pension credit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, or Universal Credit to be eligible.
Apply for a grant
If you’re struggling, you could apply for a grant to help cover energy costs too.
British Gas Energy Trust runs a scheme and you don’t have to even be a customer to apply.
Martin Lewis explains why shouldn’t carry debt in your overdraft and where you should allocate it instead
