Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people in Preston constituency are currently appealing against refusal of employment and support allowance.

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, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Claimants can appeal to the Tribunal against elements of an ESA award, such as a decision on the rate of entitlement, as well as a decision to refuse ESA. HMCTS does not record data specifically relating to appeals against the refusal of ESA and so does not hold the information requested.

Information on all appeals against ESA decisions is published by the Ministry of Justice in the Tribunal Statistics Quarterly. The most recent report, for the period October to December 2014, published on 12 March 2015, can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunal-and-gender-recognition-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2014.