PIP Appeal Success Rate 2026: How Many PIP Appeals Win?

In the latest published quarter, 67% of PIP appeals that were cleared at a tribunal hearing were found in favour of the appellant. This is the standard measure used by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), and it covers January to March 2026. Across all benefits handled by the tribunal, not just PIP, the figure was 60%.

The rate has moved within a fairly narrow band over the past three years and remains high. Comparing the same quarter each year (the three months ending December) gives a like for like trend:

Source: HMCTS / Ministry of Justice, Tribunal Statistics Quarterly (figures rounded to two significant figures). The first three rows compare the same quarter each year, the three months ending December, for a like for like view. The final row is the most recent published quarter, January to March 2026, and is shown separately because it is a different point in the year. PIP appeals are heard by the Social Security and Child Support tribunal. See the sources section below.

The trade off for a strong chance of success is a long wait. The average (mean) age of a benefit appeal when it is decided was 35 weeks in January to March 2026. That is slightly down on the previous quarter, but still far longer than it was two years ago:

Source: HMCTS / Ministry of Justice, Tribunal Statistics Quarterly. This is the mean age at disposal for all Social Security and Child Support appeals, which PIP makes up the majority of.

Most PIP disputes are resolved before they ever reach a tribunal. DWP's own statistics (for new claims and DLA reassessments) show how decisions move through each stage:

The 3% figure looks small, but it sits at the end of a long funnel: only a minority of decisions are challenged at all, and many of those are put right earlier through a mandatory reconsideration or by DWP conceding before the hearing. Among the cases that do reach a hearing, DWP reports that 65% of PIP decisions were overturned, close to the 67% recorded by HMCTS on its own slightly different measure.

The numbers tell a consistent story. A PIP refusal or a low award is frequently not the final answer: when an independent tribunal looks at the case afresh, with the claimant able to explain how their condition affects them, the majority of decisions are changed.

That does not mean every appeal succeeds, and the wait can be long. But the data supports taking a refusal seriously rather than giving up. The practical steps are to request a mandatory reconsideration within the time limit, gather supporting evidence, and appeal to the tribunal if the reconsideration does not put it right.

All figures on this page come from official UK government statistics and are updated as new quarterly data is released. Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite or link to this page.

• Appeal success rate, volumes and waiting times: HMCTS / Ministry of Justice, Tribunal Statistics Quarterly: January to March 2026 plus the equivalent reports for earlier years. HMCTS publishes this series quarterly, so the next update to this page will follow the release covering April to June 2026.
• Mandatory reconsideration funnel and overturn figures: DWP, Personal Independence Payment statistics to January 2026 (published 17 March 2026).
• Custom and regional breakdowns can be built from DWP Stat-Xplore and the data tables published alongside the MoJ quarterly release.

Note on measures: HMCTS reports the percentage of appeals cleared at a hearing that were found in favour of the appellant; DWP reports a similar but separately calculated overturn figure. The two are close but not identical because they cover slightly different cohorts and timeframes. MoJ figures are rounded to two significant figures and should be read as approximate.