Navigating PIP tribunals

Did you know that around 80 per cent of personal independence payment (PIP) applications are turned down? If you have had your PIP application denied you will most likely need to appeal the decision. The good news is that around 71 per cent of those appeals are overturned after being appealed. However, if you still have no success you may need to take your application to tribunal. Here’s a brief rundown of what you need to know.

When is a tribunal needed?

If you have applied for PIP and disagreed with the decision or the scoring, you can ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’. This will be looked again by a decision maker. Following this, if you still disagree with the outcome you can appeal to a tribunal.

This is where your case will be looked at independently from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Appeals are run by HM Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS), or the Appeals Service (TAS) in Northern Ireland.

What you need to do

To get the tribunal process started you will need written confirmation that your case has been looked at and turned down from the DWP.  You have one month to appeal from the date of your mandatory reconsideration letter.

The SSCS1 appeal form (NOA1(SS) form for Northern Ireland) must state what grounds you disagree with the DWP on. Try to make this very clear to the person reading your appeal form by using language they’re familiar with to prevent as much mistranslation as possible.

Where possible you should evidence based on facts, such as symptoms documented in your medical records. Try and be honest about how symptoms really affect you and how they fluctuate. The people considering your case really need to hear this to understand how you’re affected. Don’t assume they will know, be detailed and give examples.

If you can, it’s better to attend the hearing in person. This is because you’ll have more opportunity to speak on the case and influence a decision more so than just the appeal form.

Considerations before a tribunal

There are things you should take into consideration before you decide on going ahead with a tribunal.

The whole process takes a long time and it can also be a bit of a postcode lottery, where you live can affect how long you might wait.

It’s important to know that the tribunal will also look at your existing benefit awards, which can sometimes leave you in a worse position than before.

Regardless of these points, Citizens Advice states that more than 50 per cent of people who appeal end up winning their case so there is no reason you should feel bad for appealing or be put off by it.

We’ve also got lots of useful PIP and benefits resources linked below if you’d like to find out more. You can also get in touch with our helpline for support on what might be best for your situation – just click any of the buttons below for further information!