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<p>For the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 (the latest period for which data
are available) there were a total of 57<strong><sup>1</sup></strong> appeals where
people in West Yorkshire<strong><sup>2</sup></strong> waited more than 100 weeks for
their Personal Independence Payment (PIP)<strong><sup>3</sup></strong> appeal hearing.
This represents 1.5% of the total number of cases cleared at hearing.</p><p> </p><p><sup>1</sup>Data
includes cases cleared at a Tribunal hearing. A Social Security and Child Support
(SSCS) appeal may be captured more than once as a hearing should the original decision
be overturned, set aside or an Upper Tribunal re-hearing is granted. The data are
based on the time from receipt in HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to the
last decision within the period.</p><p><sup>2</sup>SSCS data are recorded by the office
that dealt with the case, and if the case went to oral hearing, the location of the
tribunal hearing, normally the hearing venue nearest to the appellant’s home address.
Cases relating to the West Yorkshire region are attributed to the following SSCS venues:
Bradford, Leeds, Huddersfield and Wakefield</p><p><sup>3 </sup>PIP (New Claim Appeals),
which replaced Disability Living Allowance was introduced on 8 April 2013, also includes
Disability Living Allowance Reassessed cases.</p><p><sup>4</sup>Percentage exceeding
100 wks. is based on the number of cases cleared in over 100 weeks as a percentage
of those cleared.</p><p>Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data,
the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management
system and are the best data that are available. These data may differ slightly from
those in the published statistics as these data were run on a different date.</p><p>
</p><p>It is important that appeals are heard as quickly as possible. HMCTS recognises
there are delays in the system and it is in the process of recruiting more judicial
office holders in order to increase capacity and help to reduce waiting times for
appellants. This includes 250 judges across the First-tier Tribunal, 125 disability
qualified members and up to 230 medical members.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, HMCTS
has recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing
of appeals. Information on the new digital service can be found at: www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal.</p><p>
</p><p>HMCTS is also working with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand
what could be done to reduce the number of appeals being submitted to the Tribunal,
through their focus on improving decision-making and the mandatory reconsideration
process.</p>
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