GOVERNMENT departments are blowing taxpayers money so badly they need an urgent review to stop the rot, a legal group have warned.
The Bar Council claims huge amounts of taxpayers’ cash is being splashed by staff who arent qualified to make the spending decisions.
They are now demanding changes to how civil servants are hired, and say it could help prevent mammoth overspending.
Chair of the Bar Amanda Pinto QC said: Over-stretched staff with insufficient training are making life-changing decisions and getting many of them wrong.
In appeals to tribunals dealing e.g. with benefits, tax, housing and immigration detention, the success rate can be over 60 per cent simply because officials have got it wrong or failed to follow due process.
We should all be very concerned that the Department for Work and Pensions loses two thirds of Personal Independence Payment appeals brought by citizens.
There’s major inefficiency in the way government departments make important decisions, and it comes with a hefty price tag.
The Bar Council say the bad decisions are leading to expensive legal cases against the government which could be avoided.
They point to a raft of cases, including wrongfully arguing over disability payments, asking for tax when its not due, and local authorities refusing to recognise a childs special needs.
Now they are demanding a cross-Departmental review of decision making by civil servants to save costs.
Ms Pinto added: Bad decision-making blights peoples lives, causing huge distress and puts unnecessary pressure on our other public services.
Rather than railing against appeal or judicial review decisions, the government should concentrate on putting its own house in order, so that cases dont need to be brought in the first place.
A Government spokesperson said:”We take expert legal advice when considering whether to take cases to a tribunal and balance a range of factors when doing so, including value for money for the taxpayer.”
