Reforming the benefits system has been a flagship policy of the Conservative government but its implementation, particularly the roll out of Universal Credit, has been mired in controversy amid claims it is punitive and has left families in financial distress.
As part of the welfare reforms, Disability Living Allowance has been replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a scheme that has been widely criticised for failing to fully take into account the severe difficulties facing some people with serious and long term health conditions.
As part of the new system, face-to-face assessments are carried out to see if a claimant needs help to carry out a range of basic tasks such as washing, dressing and preparing food.
Entitlement to PIP is based on the effect a long term health condition has on daily life, not the condition itself and the payments help towards extra costs that may arise.
For some time now concerns have been raised about the impact of the new system on people with health problems, with a number who previously qualified for DLA being ruled ineligible for PIP.
This issue has been placed into sharp focus by the case of young Belfast mother Roisin McWilliams, who has been diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma.
According to her father, Tom McWilliams, she has been told she is now resistant to chemotherapy and is waiting for a stem cell transplant.
Mr McWilliams is deeply angry that his daughter, who is clearly very unwell, has been turned down for PIP.
This is a profoundly difficult and stressful time for Roisin and her family as she battles serious illness that has left her weak and sick.
The Department for Communities is now reviewing her case but there is a wider issue here in terms of providing a service that pro-actively helps Roisin and other cancer patients, making sure they can easily and swiftly access any benefits to which they are entitled.
