The government is discovering a record number of disabled people who were wrongfully denied the disability benefit. Last year, the welfare benefit that is intended to help adults with a disability or long-term health condition, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), overturned nearly 80,000 personal decisions at the initial review stage. While the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) complete mandatory reconsiderations - which could take months - those affected could be stuck without the support they are owed.
One anonymous woman who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD, and depression applied for a mandatory reconsideration after losing PIP support in November last year and is yet to receive a response. After being on disability benefits since 1996, she received an "unexpected letter" from the DWP in 2021 requesting another assessment, conducted over the phone.
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