Dying Brits could be forced to wait until Autumn for a cruel benefits regime to be axed.
It is two years this week since ministers vowed to change the Special Rules on Terminal Illness - which force fast-track welfare claimants to show they they have just six months to live.
But today, Tory welfare chief Therese Coffey refused to promise the long-delayed change will happen before MPs’ six-week summer break.
She told MPs on the Work and Pensions Committee: “We’re trying to… address the issue, bring the policy together.
“And I anticipate that we will be able to hopefully update parliament before we rise for the summer - if not, as soon as possible thereafter about where we are heading.”
Charities blasted the delay, which comes despite minister Justin Tomlinson saying last week a change would be announced “very, very soon”.
The Mirror understands reforms have been held up by the process of getting approval from the Treasury.
Mark Jackson of Marie Curie said: “Terminally ill people who have endured harrowing fights for benefits in their last months of life will be extremely disappointed to learn from Therese Coffey that they now may not hear any news until September.
“Tragically, many will not live to hear this announcement.
“To delay for weeks and months longer beggars belief.”
It comes after the delays were blasted by a woman whose mum died of cancer weighing less than five stone.
Michelle McCluskey’s mum Christine waited a month for a reply after applying for fast-track welfare payments for the dying.
She told the Mirror last month: "They need to finish this review. How many more people need to die before they actually make this decision?"
Susie Rabin of the Motor Neurone Disease Association added: “Two years after being promised a review into welfare benefits for people who are terminally ill, the message from Therese Coffey is wholly unacceptable and deeply disappointing.
“The MND Association, the people with motor neurone disease who we work with and the thousands of people in this country living with a terminal illness do not need to hear vague words like ‘anticipate’, ‘hopefully’ and ‘thereafter’.
“We’ve waited long enough - we need guarantees of definitive action immediately.
“The inhumane rule that makes people prove they only have six months to live before being able to access the fast track process to benefits must be scrapped.”
Boris Johnson told Prime Minister’s Questions the six-month rule will be axed, saying: “To the best of my knowledge we are making that change.”
But he refused to give a timescale.
Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain told him that since reform was promised, “7,000 people have died waiting for a decision on their benefits claim
“And with the pandemic and the NHS managing that and the backlog of diseases, this situation will only become more acute.”
Charities had already hit out after Northern Ireland forged ahead with reform, leaving England and Wales trailing behind.
A DWP spokesman said: “The Department welcomes the changes announced by the Northern Ireland devolved administration and we will announce our plans very soon.”
