Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals by claimants against decisions on non-entitlement to employment and support allowance in (a) Suffolk, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Essex, (e) Hertfordshire, (f) Norfolk and (g) England there were in each year since 2010; what the average length of time taken to determine such appeals was in each such year; and what the cost of such appeals was in each such year.

The First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, and Incapacity Benefit.

(1) Appeals against decisions for ESA can be made for various reasons, not just about entitlement. HMCTS is unable to differentiate between appeals relating to matters of entitlement and those relating to other issues about claims for ESA, and therefore does not hold the information requested.

(2) HMCTS does not record data specifically relating to appeals where a medical assessment has been conducted by the DWP and therefore does not hold the information requested.