Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2022 to Question 55080 on Social Security Benefits: Appeals, for what reason her Department make a decision to lapse an appeal after previously having decided not to reconsider the decision at the mandatory reconsideration stage.

When preparing an appeal response the Department will review the decision, considering evidence previously submitted and any new evidence received with the appeal. The grounds for any revision will depend on the specifics of the individual case. Our overarching aim is to ensure that decisions which should be changed and so do not need to proceed to a hearing are changed at this stage. Where the change does not award the claimant the maximum they could be awarded by a tribunal the appeal will only be lapsed with the claimant’s agreement.