AS many as 65 per cent of those rejected for personal independence payments (PIP) have the decision overturned by tribunal judges, it has emerged.

The figures compare to a rate of 18 per cent at the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) own mandatory reconsideration system, a process all challenges must go through before reaching tribunal.

Since PIP was launched as a replacement for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), 161,000 people have had a rejection overturned, DWP figures show.

Ministers claim this is a small fraction of the 2.3 million people currently claiming the benefit, with only seven per cent of all decisions taken to appeal and just three per cent overturned.

The department also explained that three quarters of successful appeals are down to the submission of new evidence.

However, the department’s own results show almost one third of people transferring from DLA to PIP have been rejected since the new benefit launched, thousands of whom have had these decisions overturned.

In January, 19,000 mandatory reconsiderations brought by such cases ruled on by DWP – the highest on record.

Citizens Advice says PIP is now the biggest issue it deals with, helping around 50,000 people every three months – an increase of almost 40 per cent on last year.

Last month Kayley Hignell, the charity’s head of policy on families, welfare and work, told MPs almost 90 per cent of its network of advisers had seen inaccuracies with PIP assessments.

However, those affected say the strain of appeal exacerbates the financial and personal struggles they face.

Mother of two Cheryl Foster, who has severe anxiety, had her application rejected in December and is now being aided by disability charity Scope.

She said: “I filled in the PIP form which goes into immense detail about your condition, but at the assessment, they didn’t ask questions about my health or how I felt on a daily basis. Instead they asked me things like ‘do I use Facebook’ or ‘do I do online banking’. They were really silly questions that I just can’t get my head around.”

She went on: “I gave them proof of my condition in the form of a record of my anxiety from my then doctor, and a letter from my counsellor at that time, but they were completely ignored in the interview.

“I was refused PIP just before Christmas but was told I could appeal. The minute I realised I would have had to go to court to appeal I knew I’d already lost it. I can’t even travel some days, let alone travel and face something like that. I just went through absolute hell.”

The Department for Work and Pensions said 27 per cent of claimants are now receiving the highest rate of support under PIP, compared with just 15 per cent under the DLA. A spokesperson added: “Assessments are carried out by qualified health professionals and decisions are made based on information provided by the claimant and their GP.”

The SNP said: “These figures show that the Tory welfare cuts are having a damaging impact on the social security system across the country.

“The Tories have been heavily criticised by a number of organisations, including the United Nations, for the callous cuts they have enforced on the disabled since 2010, and it is not difficult to see why.”