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Geordie benefit claimants have been dealt another blow after it was revealed staff have been set a target for rejecting claims.

The Department of Work and Pensions has admitted that officers are expected to turn down 80 per-cent of cases.

The figure relates to so-called Mandatory Reconsiderations - an internal appeal process which the Department of Work and Pensions say is meant to check the accuracy of decisions.

But critics say the system is weighted in favour of retaining the original decision.

Now it’s been revealed staff have a performance measure that says 80% of decisions “are to be upheld” - in other words they are expected to reject 80 per-cent of complaints.

The revelation highlights the desperation of benefit claimants in the Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake which looked at the heartache caused by the benefits system.

The film was made in the North East and struck a chord with many Geordies in its depiction of heartless benefits staff.

(Image: Philip Toscano/PA Wire)

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abrahams said: “The Government’s target that 80% of MRs should be rejected shows their assessment process for the sham it is.

“It’s no wonder disabled people have no confidence in this Government.”

Phil Reynolds of Parkinson’s UK branded the measure “disgraceful”.

He said: “These outrageous targets must be abolished to ensure people with Parkinson’s get the support they desperately need, rather than facing a system rigged against them.”

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The DWP said the measure was “not a target” even though it mentioned a figure.

A spokeswoman said: “Mandatory reconsiderations look at all the evidence afresh, including any new evidence provided by the claimant.

“Our key performance measures are strictly used to assess the accuracy of the original benefit decisions.

“We want to ensure we get decisions right first time around, and performance measures help to monitor this.”

Figures show it is easier to win an independent tribunal than a Mandatory Reconsideration.

Claimants of one benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) , won just 20% of MRs from October 2013 to April 2016.

Yet 47% of those who went to a full tribunal won their case.

For Personal Independence Payment (PIP) the gap is even starker - 17% of MRs succeed, compared to 61% of tribunals.

PIP is the only benefit not included in the formal performance measure, but is still tracked informally using the same 80% threshold.