PIP and ESA appeal success rate now 75 per cent

Sun,15 September 2019
News Benefits

The success rate for PIP and ESA appeals has now reached 75%, according to new Ministry of Justice (MoJ) statistics.

The new MoJ figures also show for the period from April to June 2019 these that:

  • 71% of welfare benefit appeals overall had the initial decision revised in favour of the claimant;
  • disability living allowance appeals had a 67% success rate; and
  • universal credit appeals a 65% success rate.

For more information see Tribunal Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2019 @ www.gov.uk  

Yet despite the continuing high rate of success of PIP ESA appeals, new DWP figures show that just 15% of PIP mandatory reconsiderations lead to change in award.

See Personal independence payment: April 2013 to July 2019 @ www.gov.uk

Ken Butler DR UK’s Welfare Rights and Policy Adviser said:

“These new MoJ figures show that the standard of initial DWP PIP and ESA decision making continues to be woefully poor.

Undoubtedly a major contributor is the low standard of Atos, Capita and Maximus Health Care Professional assessments and the lack of proper consideration given to disabled peoples’ own oral and written evidence.

The DWP should take proper account of disabled people’s evidence at the mandatory reconsideration stage.

That disabled people are having to wait several months or longer for justice at an independent tribunal is causing unnecessary stress as well as unjustified financial hardship.”

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