Can appellants claim travel costs to attend PIP Tribunal hearings? — Scope | Disability forum
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Can appellants claim travel costs to attend PIP Tribunal hearings?

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Matilda
Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
in PIP, DLA, and AA
I am awaiting a PIP Tribunal hearing date.  Will I be able to claim taxi fares to attend?
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 210 Listener
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    The user and all related content has been deleted.
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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    From Citizens Advice, they say
    • check the venue has everything you need, eg if you asked for a sign language interpreter, check they will be there
    • check what expenses you can claim and how to claim them - the tribunal service will give you this information
    So I would get in touch with the tribunal service.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
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    Thank you, @mumof3boys and @Sam_Scope
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
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    Hi Matilda

    Reasonable travel expenses can be included and will include public transport and private car mileage. You should contact the clerk to the tribunal if public transport is not viable as they may cover a taxi fare but this needs to be agreed beforehand. For more information on this see the government website here.

    Best wishes
    David
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
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    Thank you, David.  Do the DWP ever send a representative to PIP Tribunal hearings?
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
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    Hi Matilda,

    Yes the DWP do sometimes send a representative called a presenting officer. 

    It used to be the case that presenting officers hardly ever attended unless the appeal was complicated, but now you do see them a bit more often as they had a recruitment drive. Many people would say that the recruitment was specifically because of claimants winning at ESA and PIP appeals; at the very least it was because of the increasing numbers of such appeals.

    Don't be put off though. The presenting officer should explain the reasons for the decision, but that doesn't mean they will be able to show it is correct. They may even provide information which helps your side of the argument.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
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    Thank you, Will!  DWP have stated that they awarded me points only for use of aids.  They have ignored my claim that I cannot complete tasks reliably, i.e. it takes me a very long time (more than twice as long as it would take a non-disabled person) to complete the tasks.
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