Hundreds of thousands of people are having to wait for vital support because of delays to PIP applications, with the waiting list for disability assessments growing by 41 per cent in a year.
There are now 312,470 people on the waiting list for a Department of Work and Pensions assessment, compared to 220,840 a year ago, and some people waiting almost a whole year for an assessment.
According to figures obtained by Chris Stephens MP, 91,630 more disabled people across the UK are waiting for a benefit assessment, compared to a year ago.
The assessments determine whether people can receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP), as well as how much they are entitled to receive.
Delays in the assessment process can lead to people missing out on vital support and, as a result, being unable to afford food and other essentials.
Stephens, the MP for Glasgow South West and a member of the Commons DWP committee, described the situation as “appalling”.
The MP said: “It is simply unjust for so many people to be left in the lurch, often for months on end, without their full entitlement.”
“That this number has been allowed to grow so rapidly by the UK Government, and now remains persistently high, is appalling."
"An urgent programme is required to clear the backlog as swiftly as possible, so that everyone in need of support can receive it quickly and at the right level.”
PIP, which can see people with an illness, disability or mental health condition receive up to £157 a week, is a lifeline for millions of people.
Citizens Advice projects that the waiting list of over 300,000 means £294 million of payments that would be awarded are being held up.
Andrew Forsey, of anti-hunger charity Feeding Britain, said that the delays in benefit assessments are becoming more prominent as a cause of hardship.
He said: “One of our main projects involves deploying specialists within food banks and food clubs, to help people address the problems that have left them hungry or struggling to afford food. These specialists see problems with assessments becoming a factor driving people into hardship.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said the government took “all possible steps” to ensure claimants receive the support they require, including increasing resources to allow more reviews to progress.
The official said: “We closely monitor the progress of PIP cases awaiting assessment. We can and do make in-house decisions on award reviews without referral to assessment providers where necessary and use a blend of phone, video and face-to-face assessments to ensure support is given as quickly as possible.”
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