"Hundreds of thousands of benefit claimants facing delays as DWP staff diverted due to pandemic"

[dutchman]

Hundreds of thousands of sickness and disability benefit claimants are facing delays in receiving support as government staff are diverted from processing claims to respond to the coronavirus pandemic



Unwell and vulnerable people who have submitted claims for support or are trying to appeal a decision to cut their entitlement told The Independent they were struggling financially as they wait months for a response from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Campaigners said the government’s decision to redeploy a large proportion of its frontline staff away from disability benefits in order to ramp up the efforts to handle the surge in universal credit claims was “no doubt” having a knock-on effect in delaying people’s applications.

Figures published by the DWP in response to a parliamentary written question show that as of 27 April there were 166,630 personal independence payment (PIP) claimants with either an assessment scheduled or awaiting scheduling. As of 4 May, 101,910 people were waiting on employment support allowance (ESA) claims.

Charities are also concerned that people who are trying to appeal decisions to reduce their sickness and disability benefits are facing longer than usual delays.

Thousands of people appeal PIP and ESA decisions each month after being refused the benefit following controversial work-capability assessments, and three in four go on to win their appeals at tribunal – casting doubt over the accuracy of decision-making.

The process is already beset with delays, taking around 10 weeks, but campaigners are concerned that as focus is directed towards responding to the pandemic, people will be left out of pocket for much longer.

Ella Abraham, policy and campaigns officer at London-based charity the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust, told The Independent the organisation had seen people who had been waiting for six months for their PIP assessment.

She said: “The reduced staff at the DWP working on PIP assessments is leaving too many disabled people waiting for an assessment – these are people who are in urgent need of PIP at the best of times and particularly now during this crisis."

Matthew Harrison, parliamentary co-chair of the Disability Benefits Consortium, said: “The shifting of staff away from disability benefits, such as PIP, is without doubt having a knock-on effect in delaying people’s applications.

“We are also hearing of cases where people are waiting on appeals and are being left with little money during this period, and cases where successful appeal outcomes, correcting wrong decisions, are not being implemented promptly."

[dutchman]

Deliberate, if you ask me?

[rebbonk]

I'm afraid I agree with you Dutchman.