Cruel tests for sickness and disability benefits are being overturned in almost THREE-QUARTERS of appeals, shock figures show today.

A record 72% of people who lodge a tribunal after being denied Personal Independence Payments (PIP) now win their case.

And a record 72% of people who appeal after being denied Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) win their case too.

Both sets of figures were recorded between July and September 2018 and released today by the Ministry of Justice.

ESA and PIP are dealt with separately but for each benefit, 72% is the highest ‘success rate’ ever recorded.It has renewed claims that assessments for the benefits – which are outsourced to private firms – must be reformed.

James Taylor, Head of Policy at disability charity Scope, said success rates had "skyrocketed" and people were being failed by the system.

He added: “Disabled people rely on these financial lifelines to live independently and be part of their community.

“It is high time that the assessments for PIP and ESA be overhauled to iron out the mistrust, lack of transparency and routine inaccuracies which disabled people report on a weekly basis.”

The proportion of PIP appeals that end in victory (%)

Today’s figures show 20,133 people appealed a decision to change or deny their PIP in the three-month period, of which 14,581 won their case.

A further 13,508 people appealed a decision to change or deny their ESA, of which 9,684 won their case.

The figures only cover independent tribunals, which are usually the final stage of a benefit appeal.

Claimants must first go through an internal review by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) called a Mandatory Reconsideration.

Success rates at this stage are much lower.

A DWP spokesperson said: “Since PIP was introduced 3.7 million decisions have been made and just 5 per cent have been overturned.”

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