Martin Lewis interrupts ITV Money Show to issue powerful 'wish'

Martin Lewis has been flooded with praise after halting his ITV The Martin Lewis Money Show tonight with a powerful "wish". The ITV The Martin Lewis Money Show returned after Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget was delivered on Wednesday.

During the hour-long special, BBC Sounds podcast host Mr Lewis discussed Reeves not appearing on the programme after her Labour Party government Budget. "1.4 million claim pension credit. Around 800,000 people eligible for pension credit don't claim pension credit," Mr Lewis said.

"It's a critically underclaimed benefit. The idea we're protecting the poorest pensioners through pension credit through the 240 question form, with the 800,000 people maybe with onset dementia who do not claim pension credit, we are not protecting 800,000 of them."

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The Money Saving Expert founder went on and continued: "I was expecting some mitigation from that because many people have been lobbying about this. It has not happened. I just want to say, because the government aren't doing anything, if you know someone on the state pension, on a very low income, they've lost the cost of living payment, they've lost winter fuel payment, please get them to check if they're eligible for pension credit."

He fumed "More should have been done. It isn't being done. Get them to check, they just have to call up, it doesn't matter if you're not eligible, you can always check." He added: "800,000 of the poorest of our society, who even the government think should be getting the winter fuel payment, will not this winter. We perhaps collectively need to act on it."

And he signed off by telling viewers: "And the Chancellor. I wish you'd been on to talk to me about it." The episode is available to catch up on ITV X. Ahead of it airing, Mr Lewis shared the disappointing news Ms Reeves wouldn't be appearing.

He wrote: "So it looks like@RachelReeves isn't coming on @itvMLshow live budget special tonight 8pm. We put in a bid weeks ago (for live or pre-recorded). Was told it was being considered, but have not heard anything. Shame as we're most watched current affairs show on TV by miles, no idea why her press team would put her on far less viewed political shows but not mainstream consumer tv?"