‘People with disabilities and severe illnesses are being made to wait for more than six months to find out if they are eligible for financial support from the Government under a controversial new benefits system.
In a highly critical report, a committee of MPs described delays in processing the Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) as “unacceptable”. They called for ministers to invoke penalty clauses for the delays on the two private companies, Atos Healthcare and Capital Business Services, which provide the assessments.
Under reforms to the welfare system, PIPs are replacing the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) as the benefit paid to help towards the extra costs of disability for people of working age. Most people applying for PIP undergo a face-to-face assessment to determine eligibility, which is carried out by the private contractors.’
Read more: Sick and disabled made to wait for more than six months to know if they will get benefit
