The Royal Court of Justice in London.

The Tories have been spending a fortune every year on attempts to stop sick and disabled people receiving state benefits – not because the claimants don’t deserve it, but because they like hurting the vulnerable.

The figures don’t exactly tie together – because government figures never do; they aren’t meant to – but they are still a damning indictment of the Conservative government.

The figures show that the Tories have thrown away more than £100 million a year on legal battles against people who are physically and mentally unfit to go to court – and have lost two-thirds of them.

Those figures indicate serious abuse of the system by those who are supposed to be its stewards.

But it’s all right – they’ve got a rigged “satisfaction” survey that says most people are happy with the treatment they receive.

The only problem is, nobody every asked the people who weren’t awarded ESA or PIP on their first claim.

That’s a serious credibility issue, right there.

But the persecution goes on, and the cost increases, and sick and disabled people continue to suffer – and perhaps die – due to the physical and mental strain forced on them by the Tories.

They won’t accept the word of any ordinary UK citizen, of course.

They’ll only listen to a judge.

It seems to be time for more legal action.

The Government has spent £100 million on a “staggering” bid to stop sick and disabled people getting the financial help they are entitled to.

Freedom of Information requests exposed how taxpayers’ cash has been spent on futile legal battles to prevent vulnerable people receiving help.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the DWP has spent £108.1 million on direct staffing costs for ESA and PIP appeals since October 2015.

The figure covers mandatory reconsiderations, an internal DWP review, and appeals to tribunals run by HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

The monthly cost has been steadily rising and in December the DWP spent £5.3 million on mandatory reconsiderations and appeals for PIP and ESA.

The equivalent figure for October 2015 was £2 million.

Since October 2015, 87,500 PIP claimants had their decision changed at mandatory reconsideration, while 91,587 claimants won their appeals at tribunal.

In the first six months of 2017/18 some 66% of 42,741 PIP appeals went in the claimant’s favour.

So far in 2017/18, 68% of 35,452 ESA appeals have gone in favour of the claimant.

The Ministry of Justice says it spent £103.1 million on social security and child support tribunals in 2016/17, up from £92.6 million the year before and £87.4 million in 2014/15.

Source: Tories spend staggering £100million trying to stop disabled getting help they’re entitled to – Mirror Online

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