DWP 'surrendering' more benefit appeals as number of hearings drop but waits grow

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Benefit claimants appealing the amount of money they are entitled to from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are increasingly winning their cases without ever having to face a hearing, the latest government data suggests.

But it is a mixed picture for many, with more than 79,000 still waiting to have their claim heard. Over the last three months of appeals reported by the DWP, from April to June, the number of cases where benefits officials opposed a claim at a tribunal hearing fell sharply from 70 per cent to 61 per cent, or just over 17,000 cases.

While this meant many claimants faced a higher chance of getting their benefits uprated without opposition, those who made it to the hearing appear to have faced a different story.

Analysing the data release, the Benefits and Work forum said this 9 per cent drop suggests that "the DWP is surrendering before the appeal date in an increasing number of cases." This could be a sign that the department is focussing on the appeals cases that it believes it can win, officials have seen increasing success in the hearings process with 40 per cent of claims now being thrown out, a rise of three per cent. READ MORE: DWP message as Universal Credit claimants could get extra money this autumn But despite longstanding criticism over the length of waits, people seeking an outcome from the DWP and a boost to their income are now waiting eight weeks longer for their hearing.