Reviews and appeals
Housing Benefit
If you think the decision is wrong you can ask us to explain it. If you think we have missed something or made a mistake please tell us straight away. You can do this by calling into one of our offices, by telephoning or writing to us.
Do you want more information?
If you would like us to explain how we worked out your benefit please contact us. You must do this within one month of the date of the decision letter. We will then send you a statement of reasons for our decision within 14 days.
Do you want us to look at our decision again?
Please write asking us to look at our decision again within one month of the date on the decision letter. If you have already asked us for a statement of reasons you will have one month from the date of the decision letter plus the time we took to send you the statement of reasons. If you delay longer than this we will normally only change our decision from the date you wrote to us.
What happens next?
When you ask us to look at a decision again we will check that the decision is correct.
If the decision was wrong we will change it.
We will send you a letter telling you about the decision.
If you do not agree with the new decision, you can ask us to look at it again.
If the first decision was right we will send you a letter telling you that we cannot change it. The letter will confirm the first decision. It will also tell you if you can appeal against it.
In either case a new one month time limit starts from the date on the letter telling you about the decision.
Do you want to appeal against the decision?
Does the decision letter say you have the right to appeal?
Do you believe the decision is wrong?
Do you want to appeal to an independent tribunal?
If you answer ‘yes’ to all of these you have the right to have an appeal heard by the Tribunal Service. Please contact us for an appeal form.
What happens next?
The Tribunal Service will decide your appeal at a tribunal hearing. The Tribunal Service is based in Glasgow.
To make your appeal you need to
Fill in the appeal form. You can get help from an advice centre, Welfare Rights or a solicitor. (You will find some useful addresses and telephone numbers on the form)
Write down the reasons for your appeal. This is important because the tribunal does not have to consider anything you do not write down. Remember to sign the form.
Send the form to one of our offices within one month of the date on the decision letter.
Remember, if the Tribunal Service decides that you have been getting too much money your benefit will be reduced.
When we receive your appeal
We will send you an explanation of the decision you have appealed about if we have not already done this.
We will look at the decision again if we have not already done this.
If we decide that our first decision was wrong and a new decision is to your advantage we will change it and send you the new decision. Your appeal will stop. If you do not agree with the new decision you can appeal against it.
If we decide that the first decision was wrong and the new decision is not to your advantage we will send you the new decision. Your appeal against the first decision will continue. You will have another month to comment on the new decision.
If we do not change the decision we will send your appeal, and an explanation of the law and the facts used to make the decision, to the Tribunal Service. We will also send other relevant papers.
Please read the appeal papers very carefully. If you do not understand something ask us or an advice centre or a solicitor to explain it.
The Tribunal Service will send you a form. You must fill it in and send it to the Tribunal Service within 14 days of the date they send it to you. If you do not, your appeal will stop.