SDLP Social Justice spokesperson Mark H Durkan has called on the Communities Minister to recall letters sent to recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) calling them for a review.
The letters came just weeks after they had been informed that their entitlement had been extended to 2021 as a result of the pandemic preventing face-to-face reviews.
Said the Foyle MLA: “People with disabilities in receipt of PIP who were assured that their payments were guaranteed until October have now received letters informing them that they have a month to return an Awards Review form.
“One woman who contacted me was assured at the start of October that her PIP award had been extended until 1 October 2021, only to receive a letter on Friday informing her that she was up for review and must return an Awards Review form by the end of November this year.
“The complexity of these forms and the details required would make one difficult enough to complete in normal times/.
“To be required to do so in a fortnight when access to advice from the welfare advice sector and politicians’ offices is severely limited by the pandemic and after being assured it would not be required beggars belief.
“Whether this is by design or incompetence, it is causing an enormous amount of stress and worry for claimants who thought they were getting much needed financial certainty.
“This is not just a case of the Minister apologising to those people affected: she must now ensure people’s entitlement is extended as indicated and write to them all assuring them that they will not be subject to review before that date.”
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