Martin Lewis issues four-week warning over 'last time' to claim money back

10 January 2024 , 08:51

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Martin Lewis during his ITV show

Martin Lewis has issued a final warning to millions of UK households about the "last time" they can claim cash from the Government before a looming deadline.

The star of ITV The Martin Lewis Money Show was back on air on Tuesday, January 9, with a special episode featuring an interview with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. In this hour-long special, Martin alerted viewers that they have just over four weeks to apply for backdated bereavement support.

A viewer named Jolene wrote in to thank Mr Lewis, revealing that her partner had tragically passed away years ago. Jolene shared that they had two children together and, because her partner hadn't taken out life insurance and they weren't married, she wasn't entitled to a bereavement payment from the Government. However, due to a change in law, she was able to claim back £9,600, which allowed her to "breathe again".

During the programme, Mr Lewis warned viewers that they must make any claims by February 8, before the funds are gone for good. Until recently, bereavement payments were only available to those who were married or in a civil partnership. But a landmark law change in February 2023 means that cohabiting parents who lose their partner are now also eligible for help. This can be claimed for bereavements dating back to 2001, but you need to apply soon.

Mr Lewis said: "Please go and do your research on this it's complex". He also mentioned that he "just wanted to highlight" that people could be owed money. Another viewer, Joanne, shared her story: "I was going through my emails and almost deleted the MSE weekly email when I spotted the reader success about bereavement support. I clicked on the link and followed the guidance in the story to make a claim.

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"I was told I was eligible but I was totally shocked when £22,000 dropped into my bank account. I had to ring the Department for Work and Pensions to make sure it was correct and not a mistake."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

James Rodger