Disabled people have to appeal to get the benefits they deserve according to the Merton Centre for Independent Living.

A Freedom of Information request by Merton CIL showed that 77 per cent of PIP appeals were won when brought before tribunal; the national average is 65 per cent.

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is replacing Disability Living Allowance, but people who previously had a ‘lifetime’ award for DLA are being reassessed if they are younger than 65, even if they have complex conditions like Downs Syndrome.

Disabled people have been asked to go as far as Barnet for assessment to buildings where there is no disabled access.

In a report from March, Merton CIL said: “The problem is so significant that we have experienced an increase in people being awarded their benefit on application to appeal even before attending the tribunal (ie pre-submission).

“Despite the high number of people awarded the benefit on appeal, many of our service users are afraid to appeal, and we believe the number of disabled people refused PIP who were actually eligible, could be far higher.”

Peter McCabe, Labour Councillor for the Ravensbury ward, said: “People have suffered extreme financial hardship; people are being made homeless, we heard stories of people getting foodbank vouchers from Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

“I was really shocked to learn that disabled and vulnerable people are being treated in that way.

“It’s quite clear that Department of Work and Pensions need to change the way they review cases.

“There was a view right across the party divide that this is not the way to treat people.”

A spokesperson for Merton CIL said: Merton CIL: "Our experience in Merton has shown that the process of assessing Disabled People for PIP is unfair and inaccurate.

“It is not right that people have to go through a long and stressful appeals process just to get what they were entitled to all along.

“We're asking the DWP and IAS to address the issues around inaccessible assessment centres and inaccurate assessments."

A Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) spokeswoman said: “We are absolutely committed to ensuring that disabled people get the support they’re entitled to.

“Only a small proportion of all decisions are overturned at appeal — just four per cent for both PIP and ESA.

“In the majority of successful appeals, decisions are overturned because people have submitted more evidence.

“Assessments work for the majority of people, with 87 per cent of PIP claimants and 82 per cent of ESA claimants telling us that they’re happy with their overall experience.”

The above statistics from the DWP are national.