Seventy percent of rejected claims are won on appeal
This actually underplays it.
35% of claims rejected by the internal appeal, Then start a court tribunal. Of those, the DWP overrides 25% before the case gets to court. So they already recognise they have no hope of winning 25% having rejected twice.
Of the remaining cases that then go, on to a tribunal hearing. The court decides with the claimant in 70% of cases. Based on exactly the same evidence, the DWP was presented.
The false rejection rate is way higher, the 70% it is insane.
But we will never know2 the number of false rejections that do not have the energy to face the stress of taking DWP to court. Especially as we have a history of this process taking years. The cases then being due for re-review soon after the court case is won. And often getting falsely rejected again. The last 14 years of media coverage of these cases seem like DWP is trying to bully qualified claimants out of the benefit.
Given, this is not an income based benefit. But one where the majority of claimants work. Designed to help cover the excess cost disabled people face just living, interacting with society and travelling to life events or work and back. Its goal is to make a minimal attempt to allow disabled to have anything close to an equal chance and role in society with able-bodied.
This is more than just a motivation within DWP to reject valid claims. It is abuse of a perceived invisible section of our society. And an attempt to scare/tire them out of gaining any equality.