[nomadking]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

From the benefits and work website:

TRIBUNALS SERVICE OVERWHELMED BY PIP APPEALS

A report by the Tribunals Service admits that they can’t keep pace with the number of PIP appeals.

The ‘Senior President of Tribunals’ Annual Report’ admits that “the rapid rise in appeal numbers has outstripped our ability to recruit and train sufficient numbers of panel members to keep pace”.

Appeal numbers plummeted in 2013, from a high of over half a million, after the DWP introduced its cynical mandatory reconsideration hurdle.

However, numbers are on the rise again, more than doubling from 112,000 in 2014 to 238,000 in 2018.

To try to cope, the Tribunals Service appointed 130 new judges, 225 medically qualified members and 125 disability qualified members last year.

They are also trying other methods to reduce the backlog, including cramming more PIP appeals into each session and trying to resolve more cases before they reach a hearing.

But the one thing that would really cut their workload - the DWP getting more decisions right - is unlikely to happen any time soon.

More appeals doesn't necessarily mean more wrong decisions taking place.