Raising the issue directly with Ministers, Mrs Lockhart highlighted the devastating reality facing families whose lives are turned upside down overnight by a diagnosis such as childhood cancer. She called for support to begin immediately, rather than forcing families to endure an additional three-month wait before accessing help.

Speaking in Parliament, Mrs Lockhart said:

“When a child is diagnosed with an illness such as cancer, their caring needs start immediately. Such a diagnosis upends any household; there are appointments, and often families are unable to work. Will the Minister review again the question of whether child disability living allowance should be paid immediately on diagnosis, as opposed to the family having to wait three months?”

Responding, the Minister acknowledged the concerns raised and confirmed a willingness to engage further on the issue. Importantly, following the exchange, a meeting has now been arranged to discuss the matter in more detail and examine the case for change.

Speaking afterwards, Mrs Lockhart said:

“This is an issue I have been campaigning on for a number of years because fundamentally it is about fairness and compassion. When a family receives the devastating news that their child has cancer or another serious condition, their world changes instantly. The need for support does not begin three months later; it begins on the day of diagnosis. Families suddenly face hospital appointments, travel costs, changes to work, financial pressure and emotional trauma and, at the very moment they need support most, they are instead told they must wait.

I welcome the Minister’s willingness to engage and I am pleased that a meeting has now been arranged because this issue deserves serious consideration and real action. This is not an expensive proposal. The payment ultimately begins after three months anyway, so we are not talking about creating a new benefit or introducing huge additional spending commitments. We are simply talking about recognising reality and bringing support forward when families actually need it.

I have pursued this issue for a number of years and recently raised again with Ministers the case of David and Sarah Watson, good friends from Upper Bann who have worked tirelessly in memory of their son Adam to campaign for change and spare other families the experience they endured. David and Sarah have turned unimaginable grief into a campaign for change. Their determination to ensure Adam’s legacy helps other families is humbling. They are not asking for something extravagant. They are simply asking for families in crisis to be treated with dignity and compassion.

There has been a tendency to hide behind arguments around devolution, but in truth Westminster has a central role to play. If the framework changes at Westminster, the Barnett consequentials can follow and Northern Ireland can move. There is a degree of passing the buck and families deserve better. No family should be left battling bureaucracy while fighting for their child and I will continue pressing Ministers until we see meaningful action.”