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<p>(1) (a) Data about adjournments for appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Social
Security and Child Support) (SSCS), are published annually, in June, at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.
The table below contains a breakdown of the reasons for adjournments.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td
colspan="6"><p><strong>Number and reasons</strong><strong><sup>1</sup></strong><strong>
for adjournments in </strong><strong>First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child
Support) hearings</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p> </p></td><td colspan="5"><p>Financial
Years – April to March</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014_2015</p></td><td><p>2015_2016</p></td><td><p>2016_2017</p></td><td><p>2017_2018</p></td><td><p>2018_2019</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Adjournment
reason/category</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1st Tier Not Ready to Proceed</p></td><td><p>291</p></td><td><p>165</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Adjourned,
All Elements Adjourned</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Adjourned,
Element(s) Outstanding</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>~</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Admin
Not Ready to Proceed</p></td><td><p>1,119</p></td><td><p>629</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>38</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Appellant
Not Ready to Proceed</p></td><td><p>5,507</p></td><td><p>3,760</p></td><td><p>63</p></td><td><p>46</p></td><td><p>31</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Appellant
to attend - oral hearing requested - did not attend - no reason</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>316</p></td><td><p>1,041</p></td><td><p>1,276</p></td><td><p>1,785</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Appellant
to attend - oral hearing requested - did not attend - reason given</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1,109</p></td><td><p>3,297</p></td><td><p>3,319</p></td><td><p>3,594</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Appellant
to attend - paper requested or no Enquiry Form returned</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>487</p></td><td><p>1,828</p></td><td><p>2,307</p></td><td><p>2,638</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Documents
supplied but not before the Tribunal at the hearing</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>107</p></td><td><p>301</p></td><td><p>332</p></td><td><p>335</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Evidence
or further Response from Respondent required</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>1,124</p></td><td><p>2,999</p></td><td><p>3,509</p></td><td><p>3,451</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Evidence
or submission from Appellant required</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>720</p></td><td><p>2,113</p></td><td><p>2,159</p></td><td><p>2,147</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Further
medical evidence essential</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>2,943</p></td><td><p>11,972</p></td><td><p>15,755</p></td><td><p>16,298</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Insufficient
time to deal with case</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>384</p></td><td><p>1,320</p></td><td><p>1,324</p></td><td><p>1,217</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>No
Interpreter</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>316</p></td><td><p>1,236</p></td><td><p>989</p></td><td><p>1,186</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other
administrative errors</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>927</p></td><td><p>1,203</p></td><td><p>1,226</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other
reasons for adjourning</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>1,674</p></td><td><p>5,974</p></td><td><p>7,933</p></td><td><p>7,976</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Part
Allowed</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>~</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Presenting
Officer to attend</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>84</p></td><td><p>212</p></td><td><p>183</p></td><td><p>128</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Respondent
failed to comply with directions</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>46</p></td><td><p>120</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>51</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tribunal
Not Ready to Proceed</p></td><td><p>20,468</p></td><td><p>14,161</p></td><td><p>563</p></td><td><p>426</p></td><td><p>278</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Adjournments
as a % of hearings listed<sup>2</sup></p></td><td><p>17%</p></td><td><p>17%</p></td><td><p>17%</p></td><td><p>18%</p></td><td><p>20%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><sup>1 </sup>Prior to November 2015 there were four adjournment categories:
First Tier Not Ready to Proceed; Admin Not Ready to Proceed; Appellant Not Ready to
Proceed; and Tribunal Not Ready to Proceed. The additional categories as above were
introduced from November 2015.</p><p>~ Equates to a value of fewer than five.</p><p><sup>2
</sup>Proportion of listed hearings for the totals are weighted averages.</p><p> </p><p>The
data may differ slightly to that of the published statistics where reports were run
on a different date.</p><p> </p><p>(1) (b) The data for the Upper Tribunal (Administrative
Appeal Chamber) which hears appeals against decisions made by SSCS are not held centrally,
and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>(2) (a) and (b)
these data are not held centrally.</p><p> </p><p>The decision to adjourn a hearing
is a judicial function. The panel will only proceed when it is</p><p>satisfied it
has all the evidence it needs to make a fair and just decision and that may</p><p>include
further medical evidence.</p>
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