Vulnerable individuals are being forced to wait more than a year for vital disability benefits, with a powerful parliamentary committee branding the service "unacceptably poor".
Committee Condemns 'Unacceptable' Waits
In a damning new report, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called out severe delays in processing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims. The cross-party group of MPs highlighted that some people are left waiting for over twelve months for a decision, a situation they describe as completely unacceptable.
The delays are causing significant hardship, with the committee warning they can force claimants into debt and deeper poverty. This is happening against the backdrop of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, which disproportionately affects disabled people.
Campaigners Warn of Systemic Failure
Disability equality charity Scope has echoed the committee's severe criticism. James Taylor, the organisation's Strategy Director, stated that administrative failures within the benefits system are actively pushing disabled people into poverty.
"Time and again, disabled people are being let down by our benefits system," said Mr Taylor. "Continued delays are unacceptable. Life costs more if you are disabled, and disability benefits are meant to help address these costs."
He emphasised that PIP is a critical lifeline and urged the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to listen to claimant evidence in the ongoing Timms Review into PIP eligibility. The findings of this review are expected in Autumn 2026 and could lead to major changes.
Government Targets Missed Amid Slow Reform
Official statistics reveal the scale of the problem. The government's own target is to process three-quarters of new PIP claims within 75 working days. However, performance has fallen far short, with just over half of claims meeting this standard in 2024/2025.
The DWP has pointed to a new online application process, currently being tested in a few postcodes, as a route to greater efficiency. Its stated ambition is to use this digital service for up to 20% of PIP claims by 2029.
However, the PAC has slammed this timeline, noting it is three years later than the original target and arguing it is "far too long for claimants to have to wait for improvements." The committee insists that efficient processing is vital to prevent vulnerable people from falling through the cracks during application or review stages.
With research consistently showing disabled people are far more likely to experience poverty, campaigners and MPs agree: the government must get its administration right now, not in several years' time.
