Delays to Personal Independent Payment (PIP) reviews have left disabled people missing out on an estimated £24m every month, according to Citizens Advice.
More than 430,000 people are currently waiting for a PIP review leaving them to cover extra costs, the charity has found.
The delays occur because the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has failed to recruit and train enough staff to keep up with demand, according to Citizens Advice.
The charity also found that disabled people are twice as likely to say they can rarely or never cover their essentials each month.
Matthew Upton, acting executive director of Policy & Advocacy at Citizens Advice, said: ‘PIP can act as a lifeline for so many people with extra living costs linked to their health condition. But right now, hundreds of thousands are being left in limbo while they wait for a health assessment with little clarity as to when their claim will be reviewed.
‘Delays don’t just pose a financially agonising wait; they can take a significant emotional toll on people every single day.
‘At a time when rising prices are putting immense pressure on disabled people’s budgets, we need a system that efficiently and effectively helps people with extra living costs - not one that causes more harm.’
A DWP spokesperson said: ‘We are recruiting more staff, increasing resourcing and making constant improvements to deliver a more efficient PIP service, and no one will miss out on money they are owed as any arrears are paid once their review has been concluded.’
