With 450 people in the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency stuck waiting in huge backlog for Personal Independence Payment assessments, Cllr Mick Lerry, Labour PPC for Bridgwater and West Somerset has called on David Cameron to urgently deal with this huge backlog.
According to the latest DWP figures and independent House of Commons analysis, Personal Independence Payments introduced last year to replace Disability Living Allowance is beset by delays and rising costs. 529,000 people applied for PIP, but only 206,000 received a decision about whether they qualified for help – leaving 323,000 people in limbo across the country.
Tory welfare failures causing yet more hardship
Mick said, “It’s absolutely disgraceful that 450 people in the Bridgwater and West Somerset area are still waiting for a Personal Independence Payment assessment. David Cameron must step in and sort out this backlog, which is leaving disabled people waiting months and months for an assessment. This is yet another example of Tory Welfare Waste which is leaving hundreds of thousands of people in limbo.”
Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rachel Reeves MP said: “The delays caused by the huge backlog Personal Independence Payment assessments have caused are hardship and concern across the country. David Cameron must urgently get a grip of Tory Welfare Waste which is leaving hundreds of thousands of disabled people in limbo without essential support.”
Cllr. Mick Lerry – Leader of the Labour Group on Sedgemoor District Council
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset Constituency
Mobile: 07775 905080
Email: michael.lerry@btinternet.com