PIP Chances Halved If You Live In Wrong Place Plus Coroner Confirms ESA Decision Caused Death
PIP success!
“Thanks to the advice from the wonderful moderators on here and the wealth of vital resources available on this site, I am pleased to say that I have been awarded enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility until 2018!!!
Thank you all so much, you have helped through a very stressful period…Thank you”
Dear Reader,
Living in the wrong place can halve your chances of being awarded PIP, Benefits and Work can reveal. And, for the first time, a coroner has ruled that being wrongly found fit for work caused a claimant’s death.
PIP POSTCODE LOTTERY
DWP statistics show that award rates for the whole period since PIP was introduced vary hugely depending on which Westminster constituency you live in.
Claimants living in Scarborough, for example, have just a 27% chance of getting a PIP award. Move 60 miles south to Scunthorpe and your chances leap to 59%.
We’ve got a downloadable list of the award rates in every Westminster constituency, plus some text you might want to use in your PIP appeal if you’ve been refused an award in one of the rotten boroughs.
PIP CLAIMS AND RECONSIDERATIONS PLUMMET, BUT APPEAL SUCCESS SOARS
The overall success rate for PIP claims is continuing to fall. Nationally it stands at 48% since PIP was introduced. But success rates have dropped over that time from 62% of new claims getting an award in March 2014, to just 42% getting an award in in July 2015.
The success rate at mandatory reconsideration stage for claimants moving from DLA to PIP has also plummeted. It has fallen from a high of 50% of mandatory reconsiderations being successful in late 2014 to just 22% by July 2015.
For fresh PIP claims, the mandatory reconsideration success rate has fallen from 17% to 14%.
One good bit of news for claimants, however, is that PIP appeals to a tribunal have a high chance of being upheld. The success rate for claimants taking a PIP decision to a tribunal has risen from 40% in 2013 to 56% in 2015. PIP appeals now outnumber ESA appeals.
So, the message is clear. If you are refused PIP you need to go all the way to a tribunal to get a fair decision.
CORONERS ESA DEATH RULING
In a ruling that has only just been brought to light by the Disability News Service, a coroner ruled last year that the trigger for a claimant with a mental health condition committing suicide was the wrongful decision that he was fit for work.
The coroner wrote to the DWP because she considered that other lives were at risk due to failings in the work capability assessment, asking what steps they were taking to change the system. The DWP were obliged to respond in a document that has not been made public.
Meanwhile, Benefits and Work has appealed to the Information Commissioner over the DWP’s refusal to provide further information about the 49 secret reports into claimants’ deaths.
We want to know how many of the claimants had been forced onto the work programme and how many of those had mental health conditions which meant they should have been treated as ‘vulnerable’. The DWP says it has the information but refuses to release it.
PIP MEDICALS
Many thanks to all of you who contacted us offering copies of their PIP medical reports. We received a huge number of responses, so our apologies if we haven’t got back to you yet.
FORUM MODERATORS
The moderators are a tiny band of selfless stalwarts at the heart of the Benefits and Work community – and they could really do with some help.
If you have a good knowledge of the basics of ESA or PIP and can keep your cool even when posters may be particularly distressed, then we’d love to hear from you. Just drop an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Good luck,
Steve Donnison
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BENEFITS NEWS
PIP – living in the wrong area can halve your chances of an award
An important factor in whether you get an award of personal independence payment appears to be the area in which you live, Benefits and Work can reveal.
Information Commissioner asked to rule on vulnerable claimant deaths
Benefits and Work has asked the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to intervene as the DWP continues to ignore requests for further information about secret reports into claimant deaths.
Botched WCA triggered claimant’s suicide, coroner rules
A coroner has ruled that a finding that a claimant was fit for work was the ‘trigger’ for his suicide six months later, Disability News Service has discovered.
Crackdown on DLA to PIP challenges means failure rates soar
There has been a huge and unexplained drop in the success rate of mandatory reconsiderations for disability living allowance (DLA) to personal independence (PIP) claimants.
Well below half of all PIP claims are successful as award rates continue to fall
The percentage of claimants getting an award of personal independence payment (PIP) has fallen again, both for new claims and for disability living allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessments.
Tiny fall in ESA numbers underlines IB to ESA transfer failure
The number of people in receipt of employment and support allowance (ESA) or incapacity benefit (IB) is set to fall according to the DWP’s early estimates for July 2015.
Multiple sclerosis claimants harmed by WCA
Almost half of all employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants with multiple sclerosis (MS) believe that the assessment process harms their health, according to a new survey by the MS Society.
PIP appeals now outnumber ESA appeals and success rates keep climbing
The latest statistics from the Ministry of Justice show that, for the first time, more personal independence payment (PIP) appeals are being lodged than employment and support allowance (ESA)appeals.
GOOD NEWS FROM THE FORUM
As always, many thanks to everyone who takes the trouble to post in the forum or email us with news of your success. We know it’s many readers favourite, and most encouraging, bit of the newsletter.
PIP paper appeal success – enhanced care and mobility
Thank-you and the website for all your helpful advice through what has been an extremely stressful episode in my life.
I had been awarded standard living allowance only. I asked for reconsideration and they still said no mobility award. So many mistakes and inaccuracies in report.
Too stressed to face a head to head appeal sent in a very detailed report. On the verge of a total mental breakdown couldn't face speaking to anyone. I took a risk and sent in a written appeal.
Amazed to receive court letter 28th August 2015 been awarded enhanced living allowance and enhanced mobility back dated 12 months.
PIP tribunal success
"Hi everyone and thanks so much for your input,
The envelope arrived and we couldn't quite believe it but she was successful, on the day she had been so distressed but tried to explain just some of the difficulties she faces in a day, and how so many others take even thinking for granted. We are so proud of her as it was an arduous task for her but she's a real fighter even though she feels weak."
PIP tribunal win
"All over - shocked and relieved, standard points on Daily Living and Standard points on Mobility. I owe a massive lot of thanks to those who have supported me through this. Have been given four years."
PIP success – enhanced care and standard mobility
"Well a really happy up date after having a phone call last week from dwp received letter sat top payment for care and standard for mobility not to reviewed till 2018 and back pay thank you to this wonderful site for all there help don't give up hope"
ESA support group without medical
"thankyou for this site you are amazing.
I have been put into the ESA Support Group without the need for a medical."
ESA tribunal success
“Won tribunal on 1st Sept placed in support group. All backdated payments in bank today.”
Success DLA to PIP
“Hello…Success from DLA to PIP. I would like to say thank you to Gordon, bro58 and Mrs Hurtyback [moderators] without your help there is no way I would have been successful”
Tribunal success!
“After having constant sciatic nerve pain, Endometriosis diagnosed in 2012 I have also had to deal with becoming homeless and fighting the DWP all the way to tribunal.
Today I am pleased to say that with the help of Benefits and work and my sheer determination for justice I won my tribunal!!!!”
BOOST YOUR ESA, PIP OR DLA CHANCES - 20% OFF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP – OFFER ENDS MIDNIGHT FRIDAY
Give yourself the best possible chance of getting the right ESA, PIP or DLA decision, whether you’re making a claim, renewing an existing award or asking for a reconsideration or appeal.
Subscribe now and get instant access to all our guides.
If you’re not already a member, join the Benefits and Work community before midnight on Friday and you can get 20% off the cost of your annual subscription.
Just type the following code into the coupon box when you pay: 3646
Claimants and carers get an annual subscription for £15.96, down from £19.95. Professionals get an annual subscription for £77.60, down from £97.00.
Offer ends midnight Friday
Good luck,
The Office Team
Benefits and Work Publishing Ltd
Company registration No. 5962666
