Hundreds of terminally ill cancer patients are waiting weeks and months for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions, Macmillan Cancer Support has warned.
The equivalent of DLA “special rules” claims that previously took eight to 10 days are now taking eight to 10 weeks.
Macmillan says early indications from its advisers working in hospitals and Citizens Advice Bureaux are that the changes have left hundreds without support.
The cancer charity's Director of Policy and Research Mike Hobday said:
"The principle of a fast-track process for terminally ill patients... is still there but the fact that the processing time has gone from eight-to-10 days to eight-to-10 weeks really is appalling."
He added that while the charity was talking to DWP officials about the delays that there was "no sign of a commitment to what the timescale should be".
For more information see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24784691