The following court decision has just been announced.
A delay in paying welfare benefits to two disabled people was “unlawful” and “unacceptable”, the High Court says. The unnamed pair waited nine months for Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), and they said this left them dependent on loan sharks and food banks.
During the test case, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) argued that it took prompt action when delays in processing claims were identified.
There are currently 78,700 people waiting to hear if they can claim PIP.
The court heard that the two claimants, Ms C and Mr W, asked Mrs Justice Patterson to declare that Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith breached his common law and human rights duties to make payments within a reasonable time.
This breach was caused, they said, because of the magnitude of the delay.
The judge ruled that in both cases, the delay was “not only unacceptable, as conceded by the defendant, but was unlawful”.
Lets hope no-one else has to suffer such long delays in getting what they are legally entitled to.