I WAS horrified to read today how the DWP/HMRC have colluded to prevent families with disabled children from receiving their rightful benefits for the last four years.

The HMRC (in their most callous but typical response) have stated that these families can only backdate their claims for the last year.

It is hard to think of a group of people more in need of their benefits, and yet these agencies are doing everything they can to increase their hardship.

Not only does the system need a complete overhaul, but I believe that the decision-making here is criminal and I wonder if legal action is possible, not just to get the correct monies due to these families, but also to prosecute those who have wilfully increased hardship for some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

Andrew Finebaum

Randwick