New BBC figures reveal that about a third of teenagers in Lincolnshire lose access to disability benefits when they turn 16

Teenagers with incurable and life-threatening conditions are among the hundreds of people a week stripped of disability benefits after their 16th birthdays.

Nearly a third of those who received child disability living allowance (DLA) had their claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rejected when attempting to transition to the adult benefit, according to data from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The majority - 75% - of the 124,000 young people to have had claims rejected since 2013-14 failed PIP’s points-based assessment, according to analysis released today (Wednesday, March 12).

There is significant disparity across Great Britain in the proportion of disallowed claims, ranging from 23% in Lewes in East Sussex to 38% in Inverclyde. Locally in Lincolnshire, about three in 10 of the claims were disallowed.

The figures reveal how many claims were made (by authority) between April 2013 and October 2024, and how many were disallowed.

In South Holland, 641 claims were made, of which 186 (29%) were disallowed.

In South Kesteven, 1,030 claims were made, of which 332 (32.3%) were disallowed.

In Lincoln, 1,012 claims were made, of which 360 (35.6%) were disallowed.

In Boston, 463 claims were made, of which 136 (29.4%) were disallowed.

In North Kesteven, 869 claims were made, of which 294 (33.8%) were disallowed.

In East Lindsey, 1,249 claims were made, of which 403 (32.3%) were disallowed.

In West Lindsey, 814 claims were made, of which 246 (30.2%) were disallowed.

In Rutland, 221 claims were made, of which 69 (31.2%) were disallowed.

The figures mean that 2,2026 people have had a claim disallowed across Lincolnshire and Rutland in total.

Disability charity Scope’s executive director of strategy, James Taylor, described the application process as “complex, adversarial and difficult to navigate”.

“It is worrying that such a big number of young disabled people are losing out on financial support as they reach adulthood,” he added.

“The new government needs to look at the real reasons behind these figures and work with disabled people to fix our broken welfare system.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the current benefits system “unsustainable, indefensible and unfair”.

His comments, which also saw him refer to the system as “the worst of all worlds”, come as Work and Pensions secretary Liz Kendall prepares to announce widespread changes and cuts to the benefits bill.

A DWP spokesman said the proposals will be announced within weeks and will support young people and their families in a way “that is fair on the taxpayer”.

Experts said that the conditions most likely to result in a disallowed claim are those that may be managed more successfully by an adult than a child, such as diabetes or asthma.

But among those to have had claims rejected since PIP’s introduction in 2013 are thousands living with life-changing conditions including cancer, blindness, psychosis, deafness and epilepsy.

Appeals can be lodged and some claimants do receive higher awards under PIP than DLA.

The proportion of disallowed claims has fallen in recent years but Daphne Hall, vice chair of the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers, said there are still “a lot of wrong decisions and assumptions” made that should be investigated.

What is PIP and how are claims decided?

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non-means tested benefit that aims to fund the extra living costs associated with having a disability

You can get PIP if you are over 16 and have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and have difficulty doing certain every day tasks or getting around

Where a person does not have the capacity to represent themselves during the process, an appointeeship can be granted, with parents commonly applying to be appointees for their children

While DLA is awarded on the basis of whether or not a child needs extra care from others, PIP assessments are based on whether the claimant can carry out day to day tasks themselves

The DWP uses the PIP test, which is divided into daily living and mobility components to decide if someone is eligible

During the test, a series of questions are asked about daily activities, with points awarded for each activity depending on the claimant’s ability to do it and how much help is needed

The points scored for each activity are added together to determine whether the threshold for a claim is met

In a recent report, the Resolution Foundation said the number of young people in receipt of disability benefits fell significantly between the ages of 15 and 17.

The thinktank said the failure to qualify - or apply for - PIP is leaving too many disabled youngsters facing a “financial cliff-edge” as they approach adulthood.

And leading disability and welfare rights organisations say the current system is resulting in wrong decisions being made by the DWP, with outcomes frequently overturned at tribunal.

They say losing out on PIP and the additional support it opens doors to - such as Carers’ Allowance, Motability cars and specialist transport to school or college - has a life-changing impact on young disabled people and can leave them facing an uncertain future at an important time of life.

The founder of Fightback4Justice, which advocates for disabled people in the welfare system, said “everything goes in one fell swoop” and called for the process to be “more transitional”.

Michelle Cardno added: “Young people are being treated as adults from the day they reach 16, when most do not understand the system.”

The new government is now being called upon to bring the rest of the UK in line with Scotland, where the transition to adult disability benefits can now take place at 18, rather than 16. Since the change, the proportion of rejected claims from those moving from childhood to adult disability benefits has dropped from 34% to 15%.

A DWP spokesman said: “Building on our Get Britain Working White Paper, we will bring forward proposals for reforming the health and disability benefits system within weeks, so that it provides children, young adults and their families with the support they need in a way that’s fair on the taxpayer, and helps those who can work secure employment.”

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