If you are unhappy with a decision in regards to your housing benefit or council tax support award then you can ask for it to be re-considered. This must be done in writing and must be signed by you, the customer. For housing benefit this request must be made within one calendar month of the date of the decision in dispute.
We will look at our decision to see if we can change it in your favour. We will send you a letter stating if we have been able to change it or not.
If we have not been able to change the decision then you can then request a formal appeal of this decision. This involves an independent third party hearing the case and making a final decision. For your housing benefit claim this will be HM Courts and Tribunals Service, for council tax support this will be the Valuation Tribunal Service.
If you want to appeal against a decision we have made about your housing benefit you need to write to us stating that you wish to appeal. Please make it clear if you want to appeal to the tribunal. Your letter must:
This must be received within 1 month of the date of the decision, or the date we have informed you that the decision has not been changed, following an initial re-consideration request.
If you want to appeal against a decision we have made regarding your council tax support award then you need to make your appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service directly. This must be done within 2 months of us informing you that we have been unable to change our decision.
There is a further right of appeal if you think their decision is legally wrong - they will tell you about this when they give you their decision.
Decisions you can't appeal against
You can ask us to look again at any decision you think is wrong but there are some decisions which do not carry a formal right of appeal and therefore the tribunal may chose not to hear the case. For example:
Advice workers can help you understand benefit decisions and help you with an appeal. They may be able to represent you at an appeal tribunal hearing. But if they write the letter of appeal for you, the law says you must still sign the letter yourself.
If you require help with something in this section, please Contact us.