New figures reveal that 50,000 disability benefit decisions have been overturned without requiring any new evidence.

Tribunals hearing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeals have overturned decisions in 50,000 cases without needing to see any evidence unavailable to the DWP.  A further 30,000 claimants won their appeal based on oral evidence that could have been obtained by the DWP. Less than 1,000 successful appeals were based on new written evidence given to the Government.

This is despite the fact that all tribunal appeals have already gone through a two-stage examination process. In total, approximately three-quarters of all PIP tribunal cases end in the claimant’s favour.

 The DWP is facing public backlash following the unveiling of the figures, for forcing disabled people into court to obtain the support that they should be receiving regardless.

Anela Anwar, Chief executive of the anti-poverty charity Z2K, stated that “all too often our clients are forced through a stressful and time-consuming appeals process, only for the tribunal to rule the DWP has got it wrong and could have realised that previously.”

Neil Carpenter, advocate for adults with learning disabilities, pointed out that the financial impact is not the only issue; the tribunal process also impacts the mental health of those forced to justify their disabilities.

Despite these concerns, there are plans to change the disability benefit system to place greater emphasis on PIP assessments.