WESTMINSTER should hold back on the rollout of the controversial personal independence payment (PIP) until disability benefits are devolved to Scotland, the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) demanded yesterday.

CAB said PIP, slated to replace the disability living allowance (DLA), causes “distress” to claimants and that it would be wrong to cause a major upheaval just three years before the benefit is devolved.

But Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) cofounder Linda Burnip told the Star: “A pause in itself is not enough,” demanding that work capability assessments be scrapped both sides of the border.

CAB policy manager Keith Dryburgh said: “It seems to us both uncaring and unnecessary to put thousands of vulnerable people through the distress and uncertainty of two benefit upheavals in just a few years.

“Resources would be better used on fixing the problems with the current system for new claims before continuing with the migration of existing DLA claimants in Scotland to PIP.”

The Scottish CAB service saw a 78 per cent increase in the number of new PIP issues between July and September 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.

“Over half of our advisers believe the delays are leaving clients in severe hardship and unable to pay for living essentials.”

Ms Burnip branded the assessment “totally unfit for purpose,” adding: “Tinkering won’t make it any better.

“There have been five reviews now where it’s been tinkered with and it is still driving people to suicide,” she said.

“If pausing it would lead to it being scrapped we’d support that, but pausing it in itself is not enough.”

Ms Burnip added: “Scotland is going to keep the independent living fund and open it to new applicants — in England it is going to be scrapped completely.

“The things coming out from the Scottish government are positive for people in Scotland — but they just help to illustrate how bad things are for people south of the border.”

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said that people were getting better support under PIP and that it will “continue to implement legislation as passed by the UK Parliament prior to the devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament.”