MARTIN Lewis has explained how you can appeal if your winter fuel payment is cancelled, but his answer is surprising.

The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com shared the advice while delivering his ITV Money View the budget special live.

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This advice came in response to a viewer who wrote into the show and asked the consumer champion: “I have just received a letter from the DWP canceling my winter fuel payment.

“I’m going to have trouble paying my utilities invoices without it.

“I think it might be possible to ask for one.”Mandatory review“to try to reverse this. Is this correct?”

THE winter the fuel payment, worth up to £300, was previously available to anyone worldwide. state pension age (66 years).

However, the cuts made by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves means payment is limited to retirees pension credit or those who receive certain six others benefits.

In response to the viewer, Martine said: “So look, a mandatory reconsideration would be if you think there was an error in the facts that you provided to them when evaluating your benefits.

“I suspect that’s not what’s happening.

“Previously, payment for fuel in winter was universal, but it is now means tested.

“And for most people it’s means tested, depending on eligibility for pension credit.”

Instead of a mandatory reconsideration, Martin said the reader should first check to see if they qualify for the benefit.

He added: “Is your income less than around £220 a week? If they are below this level, claim pension credit.

“It’s worth on average £3,900 a year, and you’ll get your winter fuel payment.

We’ve explained how to check if you’re eligible for pension credit and submit a mandatory reconsideration if you believe you were wrongly denied.

CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY

Pension credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single or £332.95 if you have a partner.

This is called “guarantee credit”.

If your income is below this amount, you have a good chance of qualifying for this benefit.

However, if your income is slightly higher, you may still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, are caring for someone, have savings or have housing costs.

You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:

• Care allowance
• The average or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• The daily life component of personal independence payment (PIP)
• Armed forces independence allowance
• The daily living component of the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) at the standard or increased rate.

You could benefit from the “savings credit” part of pension credit if the following two conditions apply:

• You reached retirement age before April 6, 2016
• You have saved money for retirement, for example, a personal or professional pension.

This part of pension credit is worth £17.01 for singles or £19.04 for couples.

Pension credit opens the door to other assistance, notably housing allowances, cost of living payments, advice tax discounts and winter fuel payment.

Applying for pension credit also opens the door to a number of freebies and discounts.

For example, pension claimants over 75 are eligible for a free TV license worth up to £169.50 per year.

Benefit claims also qualify for £25 per week cold weather payments and the warm £150 home discount.

The Sun launched a free tool to help you check if you are entitled to benefits.

Free Benefits Checker is partnered with Poverty charity Turn2Us as part of our SOS winter fuel campaign.

If you applied and believe you were wrongly rejected, you can request a mandatory reconsideration.

How to request a mandatory review?

If you disagree with a decision about pension credit, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed – this is called a ‘compulsory review’.

It is free to request a mandatory review.

You can request a mandatory reconsideration if any of the following apply:

• You think the office handling your claim made an error or missed important evidence
• You do not agree with the reasons for the decision
• You want the decision to be reconsidered

Some decisions cannot be reconsidered. Others can appeal directly.

Your original decision letter will state whether this applies to you.

You must generally request a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date of the decision.

You can request it after a month if you have a good reason, for example if you have been hospitalized or suffered a bereavement.

Make sure you understand the reason for the decision you received before requesting a mandatory reconsideration.

This will help you explain why you disagree.

To request a mandatory review, you will need to contact the benefits office that gave you the decision.

You can contact them:

• By telephone
• By letter
• By completing and returning a Mandatory Reconsideration Request Form

Contact information is always provided on your decision letter.

But if you don’t have your decision letter, contact the office where you requested the service.

When requesting a mandatory reconsideration, you must provide:

• The date of the initial benefit decision
• Your name and address
• Your date of birth
• Your national insurance number

Explain what part of the decision is wrong and why – you can send evidence to support your reasons.

Any evidence you send must support why the decision was wrong. This could be, for example:

• New medical evidence
• Bank statements or pay slips
• Details on payment of rent and service charges

Once you submit your proof, the benefits office that gave you the initial benefits decision will review it.

Once they have reconsidered the decision, you will receive a letter called a “Notice of Mandatory Reconsideration” telling you if they have changed the decision.

The notice of mandatory reconsideration will explain the reasons for this decision and the evidence on which it was based.

If you do not agree with the result, you can appeal to the Social security and the Child Support Court if you believe the decision contained in the Notice of Mandatory Reconsideration is incorrect.

A judge will listen to both sides of the argument before making a decision.

You must generally appeal within one month of the date of your Notice of Mandatory Reconsideration.