TERMINAL BENEFITS U-TURN

CHARITIES have welcomed plans to remove a time limit on fast-track benefit payments for the terminally ill.

Nicola Sturgeon last week told MSPs that the Scottish Government will do their best to get the “difficult, sensitive and complex” issue right.

A planned amendment to limit fast-track access to benefits for only patients with six months to live will no longer form part of the law. Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman has put forward a new amendment to ensure it will be down to the clinical judgement of medical professionals.

Marie Curie’s Richard Meade said: “We are delighted the Minister has listened to ours and other’s concerns. MSPs have continued to make the case for a fairer definition of terminal illness.”