Macmillan Cancer Support has launched a new campaign urging the UK Government to reduce “distressing” waiting times for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award to 12 weeks. The benefit, delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) currently takes around 20 weeks to process from point of application to letter of award notice.
The new campaign is being supported by Sarifa, one of the charity’s supporters. She explained how as a disabled person, she was already receiving PIP when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. But her experience of PIP delays led me to advocate for other people with cancer, knowing “how difficult life can be without access to this vital benefit”.
Writing on the Macmillan website, Sarifa said: “I'm supporting Macmillan's call for the UK Government to reduce distressing waiting times for PIP. Will you join me to ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Chloe Smith MP, to reduce the waiting time to 12 weeks?”
She continued: “The process of claiming PIP can be very difficult. I support a group of women with cancer who are trying to access it.
“Some of them are now talking about whether they're going to be eating or whether they're going to be putting the heating on while they wait to receive PIP. It is having a massive impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing. I've had women coming to me in tears because they don't know how they're going to manage during the long wait.”
The campaigner went on to say how at one point her own PIP payments were stopped.
She explained: “It was really detrimental to my health because of the financial implications. That's how I understand what life can be like for the many people who are waiting an average of 18 weeks for their PIP payments.
“I had to restrict things like spending on nutritious food because I couldn't afford it. I had to restrict seeing my family and friends as I couldn't afford the cabs I needed due to my serious mobility needs.”
She continued: “I fought to get my payments back, and now that I am receiving what I am entitled to, it means I can see my loved ones and look after my health again.”
Sarifa and Macmillan’s message is clear: “We need the UK Government to pay PIP now, so others like me don't have to put their lives on hold, suffer, or get into debt.
“People urgently need the support they are entitled to. Will you join me and Macmillan campaigners by signing my petition to call on the UK Government to reduce distressing waiting times for PIP to 12 weeks?”
So far 2,788 people have signed Sarifa's petition, you can view it online here.
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