ROR v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Facts

ROR made a claim for personal independence payment on 02 November 2017 but was awarded insufficient points for entitlement. He claimed again on 08 June 2022 and underwent a video medical assessment on 19 October 2022. On 27 October 2022, having considered the PA4 assessment report, a decision-maker for the Department for Work and Pensions awarded him no points for either the daily living or the mobility activities. That decision was maintained on mandatory reconsideration on 20 December 2022, and ROR appealed to the First-tier Tribunal on 19 January 2023. The First-tier Tribunal (Judge J. Handler, Ms L Keenaghan and Dr G. Slevin) heard the appeal face-to-face at Rochdale on 01 May 2025, confirmed the Department's decision and refused the appeal, producing a Statement of Reasons on 29 May 2025. The evidence before it included GP records describing persistent foot pain and continued use of crutches, an ESA85 medical report dated 22 May 2019 recording prompting by his son to eat, wash and change his clothes, a PA4 report from 2017, and a history of alcohol and drug dependence. A salaried First-tier Tribunal Judge refused permission to appeal on 07 August 2025; ROR applied directly to the Upper Tribunal, which granted permission on 06 March 2026 on six arguable grounds.