DAS sees 89% increase in appeals between 2015/16 and 2016/17

DAS has seen a staggering 89% increase in benefits appeals work for disabled people between 2015/16 and 2016/17.

Despite this increase we have managed to achieve an increase in appeals won: from 71% in 2015/16 to 79% in 2016/17.

At one level that’s good news: it means more of our clients are benefiting from our work and getting the money they need and which Parliament has agreed they should be awarded.

And we’ve achieved this without any increase in funding (in fact it has gone down slightly) — an enormous tribute to our staff and the many volunteers who provide advice work.

But appeals create a great deal of stress and serious hardship for people who have to go through the appeals process — worse still if you are battling health problems — plus trying to understand all the recent and continuing changes to the welfare system.

That’s why so many people come to us for help.

It’s also bad for the system — surely it would be a better use of government money if the system could get it right first time, a basic quality management principle?

There is a lot of evidence that early intervention to help people who have financial problems can reduce their chances of developing further health related issues and getting into debt and a downward spiral.

Help us continue our work

We value the support we get from the County, District, Town and Parish councils throughout East Suffolk, grant funders and business groups, and individual donors, who recognise the importance of the work we do for local disabled people and the benefits this gives to the wider community.

But with funding under ever more pressure we welcome any donations individuals or businesses can give to help us continue with our work.

If you can donate, please donate through our Localgiving.com page. Businesses can also find out other ways they can donate on our Employers page.

Thank you!

Table statistics (accessible format)

Total decisions challenged: 120 in 2015/16, 227 in 2016/17 giving an 89 percent increase
Outcomes where a decision was reached: 71% won in 2015/16, 79% won in 2016/17 giving an 8 percent increase

Table of statistics (not accessible)

	2015/16	2016/17	Increase/ decrease
Total decisions challenged	120	227	89%
Outcomes where decision reached	2015/16	2016/17	Increase/ decrease
Won	71%	79%	8%
Lost	29%	21%	-8%