MARTIN Lewis has donated £100,000 of his own cash to help people pay for their energy bills.

The Money Saving Expert founder admitted he was left “near tears” following an encounter with a single mum on his ITV show last week.

The consumer champion was “shaking” when he heard from a single mother who was struggling to pay her energy bills after her partner died from Covid-19.

The encounter affected Mr Lewis who took to social media to call for intervention.

He said: “I feel near tears after doing my show. I started doing what I do out of a passion for financial justice & providing solutions.

“To be unable to help a single mum who lost her partner in covid afford her energy bills leaves me feeling impotent.

Martin Lewis explains why he ‘had to do something’

On this week’s instalment of The Martin Lewis Money Show, co-host Angellica Bell highlighted that Mr Lewis had been in the news for his efforts to help people navigate the energy crisis.

She said: "You have been in the news this week Martin. You donated £100,000 to a charity called National Energy Action to increase support and set up a web chat for the most vulnerable."

Martin replied: "The truth is after last week's show I was quite upset because I like to have the tools to be able to help people and I didn't have any.

"And I went home, my wife was away working and my little girl was in bed and I felt quite lonely and I thought, I have to do something and I spent some time researching and I contacted the charity the next day and they have a helpline to help people with their energy bills and they're gonna need it in April because there are going to be millions more in fuel poverty.

"Hopefully doing a web chat will free up the helpline and enable them to help more."