The majority of eligible people on disability benefits have yet to receive the one-off £150 cost of living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder Martin Lewis posted a tweet on Wednesday, September 21, asking if anyone who was expecting the payment, which was due to start day before, had received it.
He wrote: "The £150 one off cost of living payment for those with disabilities was meant to start being sent yesterday.
"I just want to see if anyone, who is expecting it, has received it yet?"
Following a response to his tweet, almost 5,000 people said they have not been given the money - and a further 1,700 on Facebook said they were in the same situation, according to MSE.
Some six million people are eligible for the £150 disability cost of living payment.
One Twitter user replied: "No nothing. Left me with no money and needing to use a food bank.
"1st time and felt I'd lost my dignity but the @TrussellTrust were simply fabulous."
While another wrote: "Nope, PIP which is paid every 4th Wednesday was paid yesterday aswell lol dunno what's gone wrong lol."
A third added: "No as usual nothing. Got less than £1 in my bank until next carers allowance payment."
"So people waiting for £150 disability payment is the problem but MPs can claim for everything down to their morning coffee on top of their £80K+ a year and that's fine though".
The DWP has since told MSE that "operational issues" caused delays in sending the money out to people.
The agency reportedly said it had only been able to send out a limited number of payments due to the issues and a DWP "assured" MSE that "everyone" will be paid by the start of October.
A DWP spokesperson told The Mirror that a "small number" had been paid - but said the majority of payments will arrive next week.
They said: “We completely understand many people may be anxious because they have not yet received their £150 Disability Cost of Living payment but we want to reiterate that payments will be made automatically and the vast majority of people will receive them by early October.
“While some people have been paid this week, the majority of people will be paid next week. Anyone who has not been paid yet should wait until early October before querying their payment with the Department.
“Payments are automatic and you do not need to do anything to request a payment. We are on track to process the vast majority of payments by early October.”
Responding to the delayed payments, Martin Lewis said the then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak had contacted him in May to ask for "rough feedback" before the energy package was announced in spring to help with the rising cost of living.
He added: "In that conversation I raised the need for specific help for people with disabilities, many of whom by necessity have far increased energy usage.
"On the back of that he agreed to do something, though caveated that it wouldn't be much as it was interlinked with the £650 payment for those on benefits.
"I believe that is when the £150 payment was born. It's not a huge amount, but for many struggling, everything counts right now.
"That was four months ago. Many people have been eagerly, needily, waiting for it. We were told the payments would start on Tuesday.
"Yet when I asked on social media yesterday, among thousands of responses not a soul had received it. Of course the promise is it will be paid by October, so that hasn't been breached."
He called on the DWP to provide "better information" on exactly when people should expect to receive the money.
