THE UK Government is wilfully failing terminally ill people by ignoring the shortcomings of their Universal Credit (UC) plans, according to a Scottish MP.

SNP member Drew Hendry’s comments followed a letter from Work and Pensions Minister Damian Hinds, who denied that UC was adversely affecting the terminal ill.

“People are dying waiting for their claims. Many others are being robbed of peace and dignity in their final weeks because of a failing system,” said Hendry.

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“Despite clear evidence to the contrary, the minister claims that the system is working for the terminally ill. His claims speak volumes – it is nothing short of wilful neglect by this government. The Tories are failing the terminally ill.

“Changes around implicit consent now mean that a terminally ill person has to self-certify they are terminally ill – the Government has cruelly stripped them of their right not to know that information. They then have to go further and leave a message on their UC journal detailing that they consent to a named person from a named organisation to call on their behalf to discuss a specific issue. Yet again having to ‘self-certify’ as terminally ill. Nothing can possibly justify putting anyone through this – especially when someone else can do it on their behalf.

“I’m challenging the UK Government to finally sort this disgraceful mess out, to remove the conditions, and clarify to his own department how terminally ill people can avoid this heart-breaking situation.”

Hinds wrote: “We do not need to change the consent rules ... to support these claimants, as we can already accept information directly from claimant representatives, such as form claimant appointees and third-party organisation representing the claimant.”