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Campaigners are angry at the government for delaying a decision on whether to scrap means-testing for the disabled facilities grant in England.

The move to put off a decision until autumn at the earliest meant families faced an "agonising wait", said a coalition of 12 disability and children's charities, including NCH and Mencap.

Pressure has been mounting on the government following decisions to end means-testing on the grant, which provides families with financial assistance to adapt their homes, in Wales and Northern Ireland.

The charities, which estimate that ending the means test would cost the government around £20m, said they had expected an announcement before the parliamentary recess last week because a review had already been carried out.

Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap and spokesperson for the coalition, said: "Every minute the government delays is heartbreaking for families."