JUDGES grant two out of three people taxpayer-funded benefits after their claims are refused by the Government, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
In astonishing figures seen by this paper, 69 per cent of cases win the award on appeal after taking their case to a tribunal panel.
Last night a source said: “This is a staggering success rate because in many of the cases the judges see the same evidence the original Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officer saw when they refused the application.
“It clearly shows that the whole system is becoming a joke.”;
More than one half of all applicants applying for are successful.
Out of 721,100 claims processed during the period of 2023/24, 332,800 were declined – making the rejection rate 46 per cent.
Claimants are able to appeal in two stages.
One in five people win an award by simply asking to change its mind by way of a “mandatory reconsideration”; of their application.
If this fails they are then allowed to appeal to a tribunal where two out of three people are successful at overturning the DWP’s decision.
The tribunals are headed up by lawyers and consist usually of a legally qualified judge who chairs the panel, a medical member and a disability member who has experience with related issues.
The latest full financial year data published by the DWP shows that in 2023/24 there were 46,803 PIP appeals cleared at tribunal hearings.
Of these, 32,222 – 69 per cent – were decided in favour of the applicant.
In 2007 Sir Ernest Ryder, former senior president of tribunals, said that the quality of evidence provided by the DWP is so poor it would be “wholly inadmissible”; in any other court.
In an extraordinary outburst he called the department “incompetent”;.
And said he and his fellow judges were so incensed by the volume of cases where there was “no justifiable defence to the appeal”; that they were considering sending them back – or charging the DWP for the cases it loses.
It comes after attempts to win over rebels fell flat this week after Labour MPs opposed any attempt to bring it under control.
Under the Government’s original proposals, daily living assessments were to be tightened for millions with physical or conditions who claim PIP.
But ministers were forced to dilute the proposals – applying stricter PIP eligibility rules only to new claimants rather than those receiving the benefit – after 126 Labour MPs threatened to vote them down.
Originally, the measures were due to save £4.8billion, then that figure dwindled to £2.5billion.
But now any changes will affect only new claimants and only kick in after welfare minister Sir Stephen Timms has concluded a review with disability groups.
Sir Keir had promised to stand firm over PIP changes, but caved in after days of protests.
Rebel ringleader – whose bid to reject the entire package was defeated by 328 votes to 149 – said: “The whole bill is now unravelling and is a complete farce.”;
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, insisted: “Disabled people should not have to pay to fix black holes in the public finances.”;
Proposals to cut the health element of by almost 50 per cent for most new claimants from April next year remain in place.
Plans for an above increase in the benefit’s standard allowance also stand.
