The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it is to delay the roll-out of the controversial new benefit, Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to disabled people.
Delays in the assessment processes of PIP; which is to replace Disability Living Allowance, has forced the DWP to amend the current timetable for transferring current DLA claimants onto the new benefit.
As a result the benefit, which was due to be implemented across the UK from this month, will be introduced more gradually.
It will be initially rolled out to claimants in certain areas such as Wales, East Anglia and the Midlands.
Work and pensions minister Mike Penning had revealed the delay in a ministerial statement presented to the House of Commons.
Rachel Reeves, shadow work and pensions secretary slammed the government's decision.
She said: "The delivery problems we are seeing at the DWP now risk descending into farce. But for thousands of disabled people who are already extremely anxious about the changes, this is no joke."
However, Citizens Advice welcomed the move, saying it was better to delay to get the reforms implemented "safely" rather than done quickly in light of the documented problems with the new system.
Citizens Advice chief executive, Gillian Guy, said: "The last thing we want to see is another shambolic assessment process like we've seen with the Work Capability Assessment, which has led to 155,000 people seeking our advice about ATOS since 2011.
"Ministers have ignored advice that disabled people will suffer as a result of government changes to the mobility criteria of the new system. Imposing an arbitrary benchmark of 20 metres fails to take into account an individual's personal circumstances and will mean many people are not able to live independent lives.
"Delaying roll-out is the first step, the next step must be to ensure consistent, fair assessments and undoing the harsh new rules which will have a huge and damaging impact on many disabled people and their families."
