Hull MP tells Commons about Constituent's seven month benefit wait

Hull North MP Diana Johnson today told MPs about the hardship suffered by a constituent who waited seven months for his Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application to be processed.

Officially, PIP applications are meant to be processed in a maximum of 74 days.

Diana Johnson MP told the Commons: "My constituent Simon Brown waited seven months for his PIP application to be processed. This delay meant he was also unable to apply for other help such as the additional Housing Benefit that a PIP award allows.

"So with eventual backdated payments not compensating for the hardship and misery that these people are experiencing while waiting months, and that benefit delay is one of the main reasons that we know people are accessing Food Banks and going to loan sharks, can the Minister say specifically what he's actually doing to make sure that other people do not suffer in the way that my constituent has?"

The exchange took place in Work and Pensions Questions today (8 December) at 2.50pm in the House of Commons.