Success for disability benefits as 16 out of 17 win appeal

In England, Wales and Scotland, 287,116 people who appealed between 2018 and 2021 found success with their appeal during a tribunal which threatened benefits cuts.

Citizens Advice Winchester District supports hundreds of people every year with benefits issues such as Personal Independence Payments.

The district have put a dedicated caseworker in place to support individuals who have been denied the correct benefits, through an appeal or tribunal.

The caseworker supports clients gather the right evidence, understand the process and help to prepare for their appeal or tribunal.

Liv Thomlinson, Development Officer for Citizens Advice Winchester said: "This is an extremely stressful and labour-intensive process and can be very traumatic, especially for people who are already struggling with a disability or long-term health condition. Our caseworker helps these clients gather the right evidence, understand the process and prepare as best they can for their appeal or tribunal."

Caseworkers in Winchester have supported 17 individuals through a tribunal over the past two years, with 16 of those being successful.

Lesley Rose, Advice Services Manager for Citizens Advice Winchester District said:

“A large number of the clients we help through a tribunal are transferring from an old benefit, the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to a relatively new benefit, a Personal Independence Payment (PIP). In many cases when a client has been receiving DLA and then applies for PIP their application is rejected.

Without our support many of these people may not make it successfully through their tribunals, meaning they’d be left financially incapacitated and at risk of losing essential care or mobility support.”

In the twelve months to April 2021, a quarter of the advice Citizens Advice dealt with was related to benefits and over one third of the people they helped revealed that they had a disability or long-term health condition.