Blunders by the Department of Work and Pensions have been blamed for delaying payments to some of Moray’s most vulnerable people.
Amidst rising poverty, significant numbers of claimants across the region have had legitimate claims rejected by officials.
Only council intervention, after stressful delays, has helped individuals secure payments.
Figures gathered by the council show that between January and March, some 76% of the authority’s appeals against rejected claims were overturned.
Without such action by the welfare benefits team during 2018/19, Moray residents in need would have missed on more than £930,000.
The DWP has said that 90% of national claims are made and completed without the need for appeal – stressing that procedures are constantly reviewed to ensure they are working.
But yesterday the amount of rejected legitimate claims was condemned as a failure to protect the most vulnerable.
Elgin City North councillor Paula Coy said: “It can be emotionally difficult to deal with people who are desperately worried about their income.
“The success rate of 76% on appealing failed benefits applications highlights the utter failure of the DWP to protect our most vulnerable people.
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The P&J newsletter
“Appeals take time, time during which people are not receiving the money they need to survive.
“The Westminster government’s welfare reform and 10 years of austerity is causing rising poverty and our most vulnerable people are at greatest risk. This cannot go on.”
Between October and December last year, Moray Council reported a 100% success rate in overturning rejected benefits claims.
The majority of successful applications from the authority have been appeals for Personal Independence Payments (Pip) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
A DWP spokesman said: “Pip is a better benefit which takes a much wider look at the way a person’s health condition or disability impacts them on a daily basis.
“In fact, nine in 10 of all Pip claims are made and completed without appeal and since it was introduced there have been 3.9 million decisions made and of these, 5% have been overturned at appeal.
“In many successful appeals, decisions are overturned because people have submitted more oral or written evidence.”