The Independent has reported that the DWP has spent £39 million on trying to prevent sick and disabled claimants from receiving ESA in 2016.
According to the Independent, the DWP spent £22 million dealing with ESA mandatory reconsiderations against sanctions and then a further £17 million fighting appeals to tribunals.
In spite of all this expenditure the DWP lost 62% of the cases that went to appeal.
However, the DWP is not discouraged by its high failure rate.
Instead, the Independent claims the DWP is now spending even more on ESA appeals, with a 77% rise in spending in 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.
