Hatrick! Three benefit appeal successes in three days.

There were three good reasons to celebrate in March as I successfully represented clients, in respect of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeals, and secured three successful outcomes, on three consecutive days.

1. It all started on Friday the 17^th February with a successful outcome for a client who had been awarded the standard rate of the daily living component only, with no points awarded for the mobility component. Working with the client, we were able to put forward strong reasons to argue at the first-tier tribunal hearing why we believed he met the eligibility criteria for the enhanced rate of the daily living and mobility components. The tribunal panel agreed on all counts and the client was thrilled with the result.
2. Back to work on Monday the 20^th February for the next tribunal hearing. This client had also been awarded the standard rate of the daily living component only, with no points for mobility. In this case we felt the award of the standard rate daily living component was appropriate so the appeal was focussed on the regulations and case law around the mobility criteria. Despite being unsuccessful at the mandatory reconsideration stage, we continued and appealed to the first-tier tribunal. The client was again delighted to be awarded the enhanced rate mobility component following a short hearing.
3. The third and final success arrived in the post later that week. A Mandatory Reconsideration notice dated 21^st February accepted our arguments and changed the PIP award. Our young client had initially been awarded only the standard rate of the daily living component. I had worked with his parents to gather arguments and evidence to show we believed he should have been awarded the enhanced rate daily living and the standard rate mobility components. It is something of a rarity to be successful at the first stage of the appeal process like this so I was pleasantly surprised to receive the letter confirming all of our arguments had been accepted and the client had now been awarded the enhanced rate daily living and the standard rate mobility components.