SK v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Facts

The appellant, S.K., was in receipt of Personal Independence Payment. On 4 September 2023 a decision-maker for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by way of a supersession decision, awarded the standard rate of both PIP components for the period from 4 September 2022 to 3 September 2026. The appellant appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), which on 6 August 2024, sitting at Leeds, refused the appeal and confirmed the award under challenge; only a brief decision notice was issued. On 17 October 2024 the appellant made an out-of-time request for a statement of reasons, such requests ordinarily falling to be made within one month. On 19 November 2024 the District Tribunal Judge who had presided at the substantive hearing refused that request, treating it as an application under rule 7 to waive the one-month requirement. A letter of complaint sent on 30 January 2025 was treated as an application for permission to appeal, which the same judge refused on 19 February 2025, relying on the absence of exceptional circumstances. The appellant then applied to the Upper Tribunal, which on 13 May 2025 granted permission to appeal against the decision of 19 November 2024. The Secretary of State's representative supported the appeal to the Upper Tribunal.