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Dept for Work and Pensions;Appeals Service

Answer

Mr. Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many refusals of disability living allowance in 2003-04 on review were (a) taken to appeal and (b) taken no further; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis, or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis, as the principal disabling condition. [202821] Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Tom Harris, dated 9 December 2004: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question regarding how many refusals of disability living allowance in 2003/2004 on review were (a) taken to appeal and (b) taken no further; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition. The information requested is not available in the required format as appeals and reviews are recorded by benefit type and not by condition. However, Disability and Carers Service, the agency responsible for decision-making on disability living allowance claims, do record claims by condition. The category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is recorded as chronic fatigue syndrome. The information in table 1 gives details of all claims for disability living allowance and claims citing chronic fatigue syndrome as the principal disabling condition. Table 2 details the number of disability living allowance reviews registered and the outcomes. Table 3 shows the number of disability living allowance appeals received together with the outcomes. Table 1: All disability living allowance and chronic fatigue syndrome recipients as at 29 February 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Claims (thousand) All Disability Living Allowance 2,579.2 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 14.5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. Cases where payment of benefit has been suspended are excluded. 2. Figures taken from a 5 per cent. sample at 29 February 2004 3. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included. Information relating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is not available within the DLA data available from the Appeals Service databases. Table 2: disability living allowance reviews registered, allowed and disallowed for the financial year 2003-04 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. DLA Reviews Registered 255,715 Disallowed 4,435 Successful 116,075 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five. Source: MIS Computer System, 100 per cent. data. Table 3: DLA Appeals received at the Appeals Service and decisions at hearing for the financial year April 2003 to March 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Agency Lodged 89,020 Received 84,115 Cleared at Hearing 71,795 Cleared in Favour 37,225 Cleared against 95 Cleared upheld 33,580 Cleared others 895 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available. 2. Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 4. Figures may not sum due to rounding. Lodged--Number of Lodgements received at the First Tier Agency. Received--Number of Receipts at the Appeals Service. Cleared at Hearing--All Appeals cleared at hearing. Cleared in Favour--All decisions found in favour of the appellant. Cleared Against--All decisions against the appellant. Cleared Upheld--The original decision remains. Cleared Others--Other decisions such as Strike outs, Revised periods. Source: I AD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample I hope this reply is helpful.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

202821; 428 c660-2W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Disability living allowance Appeals Applications Benefits rules ME/CFS Reviews

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk