The director of Kingston’s food bank has claimed numerous families have visited him in tears over Christmas because of a “cruel and devoid of compassion” benefits system.

Paul Pickhaver made the claims after hearing “story after story” from visitors to the food bank, in Ewell Road, of residents left waiting for their Christmas benefits payment – with one man telling him he had been left with just £4.99 in his account since November.

He blamed the benefit system for not including a form of emergency payment, though the Government say safeguards are in place.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) called the claims "misleading".

Mr Pickhaver added he food bank had received 351 referral vouchers, which are issued after employment support allowance is stopped, from Kingston’s Jobcentre in the last year.

He said: “There is no other ways to describe it – it’s cruel. Grown men who have worked all their lives but find themselves unable to work due to a health condition have told me that the lack of help has left them in tears.

“A claimant is either forced to claim for Job Seekers Allowance, even if evidence states that they are unable to work or to appeal. No benefits are paid while an appeal process runs which can take months.”

Kingston food bank has helped several people appeal the decision to stop their allowance and claims to have won every case.

Mr Pickhaver says similar groups such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and Refugee Action Kingston are seeing similar cases of families and individuals being left with no money while appeals take place – which can be for 6 to 8 weeks.

He added: “DWP guidance to staff at Job Centres is clear – if a claimant is due benefit it should be paid. That is not happening Kingston.

“Far too many local people are simply being ignored and left in crisis when there is no doubt that they are entitled to one form of benefit.”

The DWP does offer an advance on residents’ first benefit payments. 

A spokesman said: “This gives a wholly misleading picture of the work of the Jobcentre in Kingston.

"The reality is, across the country, benefits are now paid faster than ever before and hardship payments, benefit advances, and budgeting loans are all available to people who find themselves in difficulty.

“Reasons for food banks use are complex so it’s misleading to link them to any one issue."