Page 92 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

When an appellant enters the digital pin code the appeal is already populated
with all the appellant’s information and the evidence that has been provided
and is available for the appellant (and local authority) to see.

3.37 It might be possible to use a similar system of digital pins for benefits appeals.
The extent of what is possible will depend on DWP’s and HMCTS’s digital
capabilities and how their systems are able to ‘speak’ to each other. DWP and
HMCTS should work together to consider ways in which technology can
be used to streamline the process for making an appeal, in particular by
reducing the re-keying of information by appellants and the provision of
information already held by the DWP. Thought should also be given to
how those using the paper-based route can benefit from a similar
streamlined process.

Tribunal caseworkers

3.38 Another aspect of HMCTS’s reform programme is the greater use of tribunal
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caseworkers. Tribunal caseworkers exercise case management functions
and assist with the progress of cases through the system. The idea is that they
relieve judges of the tasks of handling routine matters, so that their efforts can
be directed to hearing and deciding cases.

3.39 In the Social Entitlement Chamber, where the FTT (SSCS) sits, the Senior
President of Tribunals has authorised tribunal caseworkers to make any
decision a judge of the FTT (SSCS) may make, except those which are
substantive final decisions. The actual decisions that individual tribunal
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caseworkers are allowed to make are authorised on a case-by-case basis by the
regional tribunal judges, depending on the individual caseworker’s expertise
and experience. A party may apply for any decision of a tribunal caseworker
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to be considered afresh by a judge within 14 days. In the Social Entitlement

251 Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals, Transforming our justice
system (2016) Chapter 2.
252 E. Ryder, ‘Practice Statement authorising Tribunal Caseworkers First-tier Tribunal (Social
Entitlement Chamber) to carry out functions of a judicial nature’ (2018) para 2.
253 Ibid, para 4.

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