DISABLED people in Inverclyde are being forced to wait nearly five months for appeals against benefit cuts.

New figures obtained by the area’s MP, Ronnie Cowan, reveal that claimants who have had their personal independence payments (PIP) stopped by the UK Government are languishing for an average of 19 weeks before officials will review their case.

PIP replaced disability living allowance (DLA) four years ago and Mr Cowan says the change is having a huge impact on his constituents, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet while waiting on their appeal to be heard.

Mr Cowan said: “These PIP figures, highlighting the wait for appeal decisions, are shocking and clearly show the fundamental flaws in the UK Government’s system. 

“In Inverclyde alone, people are waiting almost five months to learn the fate of their appeal to the UK Government, which is either cutting or stopping their payments.

“While waiting for the decision of an appeal the claimant has already lost their payment and this can lead many people being referred to foodbanks.

“This is a scandal and further evidence that the UK Government is failing some of the most vulnerable in our society.”

The waiting time for an appeal locally has gone up in each of the last three years - from 12 weeks in 2014/15 to 19 weeks in the first quarter of this year alone.

Nationally, the Scottish average is currently 15 weeks — a month shorter than in Inverclyde, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Cowan said: “Only recently, my office put together a briefing document to assist the hundreds of Inverclyde constituents who are facing difficulties with PIP.

“Alongside this, I wrote to the minister for disabled people to highlight how my constituents think that the government needs to make urgent improvements to the system.

“At a time when MPs from both sides are urging the UK Government to halt the rollout out of universal credit, these PIP figures demonstrate how lacking in compassion and humanity the current welfare system is.

“I look forward to the Scottish Government gaining more powers over social security and building a system which is fair and puts people at its heart.”

Officials at Westminster have defended PIP and say only a fraction of the large number of appeals are successful.

They also claim that more than three-quarters of claimants are ‘satisfied with their overall experience’ and that hundreds of extra staff are being recruited to help deal with case reviews.

A government spokesperson said: “Since PIP was introduced, 2.4 million decisions have been made, and of these eight per cent have been appealed and four per cent have been overturned.

“In the majority of successful appeals, decisions are overturned because people have submitted more oral or written evidence.

“We constantly review our processes to make sure they are working in the best way possible.”