NO TIME TO WAIT

50,000 Scots with serious illnesses have had to wait more than three months for disability cash forcing them to turn to food banks in order to survive. Now a cancer charity is urging the Scottish Government to speed up payments to avoid starvation among the ill

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

A STAGGERING 50,000 Scots were forced to wait more than three months for a new sickness and disability benefit - forcing many to turn to food banks to survive.

Now a cancer charity and opposition MSPs have urged the Scottish Government to speed up payments for the devolved Adult Disability Payment (ADP) to avoid starvation among the sick.

Carol Forsyth, 61, was one of thousands forced to wait months for benefit cash after her cancer diagnosis left her unable to work.

She told the Daily Record: "I was really worried about where the next bottle of milk would come from. It was awful and really scary. I was really struggling, so I went to a food bank.

She added: "I was quite terrified about it all and began to feel like I was begging for money. It made me feel so ashamed.

Since the switch to ADP from the UK PIP payments in March 2022, 47,150 people have waited in excess of three months for their payments.

And in 6525 cases applicants waited more than seven months.

Cancer charity Macmillan is calling on the Social Security Committee at Holyrood to investigate the time cancer patients are waiting to receive vital financial support.

And they are demanding a waitingtime guarantee for payments.

They insist accessing ADP needs to be fast-tracked and simple.