How to appeal against a decision on your benefits

Further information

What can ask for?

You can:

• ask for an explanation;
• ask us to look again at the decision;
• appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal administered by the Appeals Service.

You must give the reasons as to why you think the decision is wrong - it is not enough to simply say that you do not agree with it! This appeals process is explained below.

What happens if I appeal?

Another officer will look at the decision and, if it can be changed, we will send you a new decision. If we cannot change the decision, we will write to you and tell you why. If you still disagree, you have one more month from the date of the new decision to appeal to a tribunal.

The Appeals Service

If you wish to formally appeal against the decision, your case will be passed to the Appeals Service. They will arrange an independent tribunal to review the decision. The Appeals Service try to arrange a hearing within 14 weeks of receiving all the information. Tribunals can sometimes be held sooner if there is an urgent reason, for example if there is a genuine eviction pending.

To ensure that the tribunal consider all the facts, you need to write down all the reasons for appealing against the decision.

You will be invited to attend the tribunal to support your case. We will send one of our senior officers to represent the Council.

After hearing the evidence, the tribunal will make a decision regarding the decision that is under dispute, and you will receive the result in writing.

If the tribunal decides in your favour, we will change our original decision as soon as possible and write to you to let you know the outcome.

If you do not agree with the tribunal’s decision, you may be able to appeal to the Social Security Commissioners if you believe that the tribunal has not applied the law correctly to your case.

External links

Citizens' Advice Bureau: online guide to benefit appeals & problems with benefits
Useful information and help from advice.co.uk - the website from the Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Appeals Service
Appeals guidance, overview of the process and help with the forms.

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
The services & benefits section of the DWP website.

About links to other websites.