Two-thousand terminally ill benefit claimants died waiting for government review, says charity

Then work and pensions secretary promised ‘fresh and honest evaluation’ last July

Terminally ill people expected to live longer than six months are disadvantaged by current benefit rules (Getty)

Almost 2,000 terminally ill people struggling to claim benefits in Britain have died while waiting for a review promised by the government, a charity estimates.

The government promised to review the benefits system for terminally ill people last July after charities said it was not fit for purpose in a damning parliamentary report.

Marie Curie based its estimate on data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which the charity said shows an average of 10 people a day died while waiting for a decision on their personal independence payment (PIP) claim over a five-year period.

Then work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd said claimants near the end of their lives deserved “a fresh and honest evaluation” of the system.

She said no one should be suffering “unnecessary hardship” after charities told MPs the struggle to access benefits was making people’s lives a “total misery”.

The six-month rule, introduced into law 30 years ago, means terminally ill people expected to live longer than half-a-year are missing out on having their benefits claims fast-tracked and simplified under special rules for terminal illness.

The government’s definition of terminal illness as being when a person’s death can be reasonably expected within six months was dubbed “outdated, arbitrary and not based on clinical reality” by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Terminal Illness in its report.

Marie Curie is now urging the new government to “find its heart” and scrap the six-month rule.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of Marie Curie, said: “The government’s own figures suggest that 10 people a day have died while waiting for PIP in the six months since the DWP announced a review.

“Tragically, we have not seen any notable progress and many more will no doubt be struggling to access other benefits such as universal credit.

“And while we have seen personnel changes at the DWP, it is now a new year, with a new government which has a clear majority, and therefore, no excuse not to act fast to stop 10 more people dying every day without the support they need. It’s time now to get this done.

“The law is already set to be changed in Scotland this year, so anyone diagnosed with a terminal illness can get fast access to devolved benefits.

“The new government should now find its heart and follow suit – dying people don’t have another six months to wait.”

The six-month rule was introduced in 1990 to exempt terminally ill people from the six-month qualifying period for the attendance allowance.

Since then, it has been extended to new benefits including universal credit and personal independence payment.

Jonathan Ellis, director of advocacy and change at the charity Hospice UK, said terminally ill people “are at the mercy of a callous benefits system that effectively puts process before people’s needs”.

He said: “It is completely unacceptable that many terminally ill people and their families are forced to endure hardship and emotional distress for months while they wait for financial support, and that in so many cases families do not receive this support until, tragically, it is too late.

“The current dysfunctional benefits system needs to be radically overhauled.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “We recognise how devastating dealing with a terminal illness can be, and the impact it can have on families. This evaluation of support for people nearing the end of life is an absolute priority for us.

“This vital work is well underway and we are working closely with medical professionals and charities like Motor Neurone Disease Association and Marie Curie.

“We are making positive changes and actively gathering all the relevant medical evidence needed to shape the proposals.”

Press Association