- A senior judge has ruled that a university lecturer with autism and ADHD was wrongly denied the Personal Independence Payment after a tribunal refused to recognise everyday technology as disability aids.
- Upper Tribunal Judge Ann Humphrey said that tools such as Amazon Alexa devices and phone alarms can count as aids if they help overcome functional limitations caused by a health condition.
- The original tribunal had dismissed the claim on the grounds that non-disabled people use smart devices.
- The initial panel was also found to have failed to properly investigate the claimant's use of noise-cancelling headphones to manage auditory processing difficulties and sensory overload.
- The case has been remitted for a fresh hearing, reflecting wider criticism of DWP benefit assessments, where nearly three-quarters of tribunal appeals are overturned in favour of claimants.
IN FULL
