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If you disagree with a benefits decision

When the benefits office sends you a letter about their decision, if you do not agree, you can ask them to explain or reconsider it.

If you're unhappy with a reconsidered decision you can appeal.

You can ask for an explanation or reconsideration of every decision, but some benefit decisions cannot be appealed.

For example, you can't appeal against decisions on:

• Budgeting Loans
• Community Care Grants
• Crisis Loans

The decision letter will make it clear if it can't be appealed.

Deadlines

You have one month:

A late appeal may be accepted if you have special circumstances that prevented you appealing in time. You cannot appeal if more than 13 months have passed.

How to appeal

Information on how to appeal is normally included in the decision letter.

In most cases, it involves:

• filling in the appeal form in the leaflet 'If you think our decision is wrong'
• posting the appeal form to the benefits office dealing with your claim

You can pick up the leaflet at your local benefits office or download it, below, from the Department for Work and Pensions website.

• Download 'If you think our decision is wrong leaflet' (PDF, 4915K)

• Help with PDF files

• Contact Jobcentre Plus

But if you are appealing in these cases follow the procedures below:

Child Maintenance

If you don't agree with a decision made by the Child Support Agency (CSA), you can contact the CSA centre that made the decision. (Their contact details will be on the letter explaining the decision.)

If you're not happy with the outcome, you can write to the CSA Central Appeals Unit.

Find out more about what to do if you don't agree with a decision made by the CSA using the following link.

• If you disagree with a CSA decision (parents section)

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

These benefits are handled by your local council, so you'd normally contact your local council office to query the decision and follow their appeals procedure.

Follow the links below to your local authority website to find out more.

• Appeal against a Council Tax Benefit decision Opens new window

• Appeal against a Housing Benefit decision Opens new window

Benefits for disabled people

For queries about Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, call the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance Helpline, 08457 123 456, textphone 08457 224 433. Lines are open from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

If you're not satisfied with the results, you may be able to appeal by using the DWP leaflet 'If you think our decision is wrong'.

• Download 'If you think our decision is wrong leaflet' (PDF, 4915K)

• Help with PDF files

Tax credits

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) makes decisions about tax credits.

You can download the appeal form online, below, or you can call the Tax credit helpline.

• Download 'tax credits appeal form' (PDF, 111K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

• Tax credit helpline - contact details

Child Benefit and Guardians Allowance

These benefits are also handled by HMRC, appeal forms are available online or by phoning the Child Benefit helpline.

• Download 'Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance appeal form' (PDF, 36K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

• Child Benefit helpline - contact details

The Social Security and Child Support Appeals Tribunal

The First-tier tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) can explain the procedure and help you through the appeal process.

You can also order information leaflets using the Customer Leaflet Hotline on 08700 852 611, typetalk 18001 08700 852 611. Calls are charged at local rate.

• Social Security and Child Support Appeals Tribunal Opens new window

Who hears the appeal?

Appeals are heard by a tribunal; a panel of up to three members, one of whom is legally qualified.

There are two kinds of tribunal hearing:

Advice and help with your appeal

Some organisations offer help and advice (some for free) with your appeal, including:

The CAB will help you fill in forms and may accompany you to the hearing. Or you could ask an adviser, friend or family member to appeal on your behalf.

• More about the Citizens Advice Bureau Opens new window

Financial help

You may be able to claim some expenses for travelling to a tribunal. You can't claim for legal expenses and solicitors' fees - even if you win.

If you lose the appeal

If you don't agree with the tribunal's decision, you can only challenge it if:

But if you think the tribunal made a mistake in how they applied the law, you can ask for permission to appeal to an Upper Tribunal.

• Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber (UTAAC) Opens new window