North Ayrshire MP, Patricia Gibson has told the UK Government to stop dithering over paying Widowed Parents’ Allowance to bereaved parents who are not married but live together.

Following a Supreme Court ruling in August 2018 that UK Ministers’ refusal to pay the allowance was discriminatory and breached the European Convention on Human Rights, yet still no payments have been made to parents affected.

Mrs Gibson said:“It has been 15 months since the Supreme Court ruled that, for the UK to withhold this benefit from bereaved parents because they chose not to marry, is discriminatory and contrary to Human Rights legislation. Nevertheless, the UK Government continues to dither over addressing this injustice.

“It is time for the UK Government to stop dithering and pay out.”