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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Oliver Pridmore & Lottie Gibbons

UK households earning less than £40,000 could be missing out on benefits

Martin Lewis says seven million families are missing out on benefits they are eligible for.

Households with an income of less than £40,000 should check to see what state support they can receive. It comes after the MoneySavingExpert founder highlighted that benefits are not just for those unemployed.

After announcing the DWP's new £900 cost of living payment on Twitter, Martin said: "Many replying "why no help for people who work, just those who do nothing".

READ MORE: Put-downs only people from Liverpool will know

"Actually 40% ish of those on Universal Credit are working - means tested benefits includes in-work benefits. A decent chunk of the rest have illness, disabilities or are carers. Its not binary."

In MoneySavingExpert's latest newsletter, households across the UK with a combined income of less than £40,000 are urged to use a benefits calculator to see if they could get extra Government support with bills.

According to NottinghamshireLive, the Money Saving Expert website said: "Government figures show that up to seven-and-a-half million households are missing out on around £15 billion a year of means-tested benefits. That's without including non-means-tested benefits, such as those for people with disabilities, so if you're in need of support it's well worth a 10-minute check.

"The website offers its own benefits calculator to work out what people are due in low income support, as well as flagging up some of the other relevant benefits that may apply in some cases. But people do have to call the relevant Government office to confirm the support they are entitled to, which will be dependent on their exact circumstances.

The website adds: "It's a common misconception that benefits areonlyavailable if you're out of work – but even some families with an income of £50,000 or more can qualify for help. With the cost of living rising, it's more important than ever to know what you're entitled to."

You can use MoneySavingExpert's calculator here.

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