Appeal a housing benefit decision

If you disagree with a decision we have made you can appeal in writing, explaining your reasons, within one calendar month of the date on your decision notice.

The affected person must make the appeal. This will be the claimant, the landlord, or a person formally acting on their behalf.

If you want to know how we reached our decision, you can write to us to ask for a detailed explanation, which is called a Statement of Reasons, at any time. If you do this as part of the appeal process, then the one month appeal timescale will stop and restart from the date we issue the Statement of Reasons.

You cannot appeal:

• Suspension of benefit
• Payments on account (where we are waiting for a Rent Officer's valuation)
• The Rent Officer's valuation
• Applicable amounts
• Local scheme disregards, i.e. the decision to disregard, in full, a War Widows Pension
• Discretionary Housing Payments.

When you appeal

First we will look at your case again and make a new decision. We may:

1. Not change the decision or
2. Change the decision and pay you more benefit or
3. Change the decision and pay you less benefit.

If you continue to disagree with our new decision, we will submit your case to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal at the Ministry of Justice.

This Tribunal submission will include a summary of the facts, relevant law, and copies of supporting documents such as your application form, decision letters, and telephone records. We will send you a copy of this submission. We aim to do this within 28 days.

The Tribunal will then make a decision on your case.

If you disagree with the Tribunal’s decision you can ask for your case to be heard by the Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber at the Ministry of Justice.

Late appeals

If you appeal after the one month deadline has passed you will have to provide adequate reasons why your appeal is late.

You may be able to get more time, up to 13 months in exceptional circumstances.