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<p>The First-tier Tribunal – Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered
by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for
Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 below
shows the average length of time to complete appeals in respect of Employment and
Support Allowance (ESA) in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England between
April 2013-March 2014,the latest period for which figures are available.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>Table 2 below shows the proportion of appeals which were decided in
favour of the appellant in (a) Coventry (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in respect
of (i) Disability Living Allowance (DLA), (ii) ESA, (iii) Income Support (IS), (iv)
Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), and (v) tax credits between April 2013 and March 2014the
latest period for which figures are available.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: Average
length of time to administer ESA<sup>1</sup> appeals between April 2013 and March
2014, the latest period for which figures are available</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>
</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013 – 2014</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Coventry</strong></p></td><td><p>29
weeks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>West Midlands</strong><strong> <sup>2</sup></strong></p></td><td><p>27
weeks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p>23 weeks</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 2: Percentage of appeals decided in favour of
the appellant in 2013-2014, the latest period for which figures are available</strong></p><p><strong>
</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Appeal
type</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6"><p><strong>Coventry</strong></p></td><td><p>DLA</p></td><td><p>45%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ESA</p></td><td><p>48%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IS</p></td><td><p>27%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>JSA</p></td><td><p>24%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax
Credit</p></td><td><p>12%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Overall</p></td><td><p>44%</p></td></tr><tr><td
rowspan="6"><p><strong>West Midlands</strong><strong> <sup>2</sup></strong></p></td><td><p>DLA</p></td><td><p>36%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ESA</p></td><td><p>39%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IS</p></td><td><p>32%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>JSA</p></td><td><p>23%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax
Credit</p></td><td><p>20%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Overall</p></td><td><p>37%</p></td></tr><tr><td
rowspan="6"><p><strong>England</strong></p></td><td><p>DLA</p></td><td><p>41%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ESA</p></td><td><p>43%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>IS</p></td><td><p>25%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>JSA</p></td><td><p>19%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tax
Credit</p></td><td><p>19%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Overall</p></td><td><p>39%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><sup>1 </sup>Includes Employment and Support Allowance and Employment and Support
Allowance (Incapacity Benefit reassessment).</p><p><sup>2 </sup>West Midlands includes
appeals heard at Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton,
Shrewsbury, Solihull, Stoke, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcester venues.</p><p> </p><p>Note:
The above data are taken from management information in line with published statistics.
Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject
to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale reporting system and is the best data
available.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A significant increase in ESA appeals received by
the Tribunal resulted in increased waiting times for appeals. In 2011/12, ESA appeal
receipts at Coventry were 1,896; West Midlands 18,957; and England 145,625. In 2012/13
these rose to 3,025, 33,958 and 200,850 respectively. To meet the increased demand,
HMCTS increased the capacity of the Tribunal by, amongst other things, recruiting
additional judges and medical members, increasing the number of venues used, extended
opening times and introduced more efficient processes.</p><p> </p><p>During 2013/14,
the Tribunal has experienced a reduction in ESA appeal receipts (2,569 in Coventry,
18,969 in the West Midlands, and 190,047 in England). The reduction in receipts and
the increased capacity within the Tribunal has enabled HMCTS to focus on reducing
outstanding workloads. As at the end of March, for the Tribunal overall, this stood
at 78,347, a reduction of 143,254 (65%) from June 2013.</p><p> </p><p>Action taken
to address waiting times specifically at Coventry have included offering appellants
hearings at alternative venues in Leamington Spa and Nuneaton and, from June 2013,
the number of hearing rooms at Coventry doubled.</p><p> </p><p>These measures have
had a positive effect resulting in a reduction in the average waiting time for ESA
appeals at the Coventry venue from 35 weeks in 2012-2013 to 29 weeks in 2013-2014.</p><p>
</p><p>Typically, new appellants lodging new appeals which would be heard at the Coventry
venue are now being offered a hearing date between 13 and 14 weeks of receipt of the
appeal. For the West Midlands overall this would be between 9 and 14 weeks.</p><p>
</p><p> </p>
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