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How to appeal against a CSA decision

If you want to appeal against a Child Support Agency (CSA) decision, you must either:

• fill in the appeal application form
• write a letter to the CSA

An appeal application form or letter must be sent to the CSA within one month of the date of the decision letter.

Download an appeal application form

If your case was opened after March 2003, and you want to appeal, download the following leaflet.

• Download 'How can I appeal against a child maintenance decision' (PDF, 346K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

If your case was opened before March 2003, and you want to appeal, download the following leaflet.

• Download 'How to appeal' (PDF, 163K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

You’ll find the appeal application form at the back of the leaflets.

Appeal by writing a letter

If you want to appeal by writing a letter to the CSA, you will need to include the following information:

• your child maintenance reference number (this will be at the top of the decision letter sent to you)
• the date on the decision letter
• details of the decision you are appealing against
• the reasons why you think the decision is wrong

You must sign the appeal form or letter, and send it to the following address:

Central Appeals Unit
Child Support Agency
PO Box 33
Preston
PR11 2DT

If you’ve asked someone to represent you, that person can sign the form or letter. The CSA will only accept this if it has previously been told in writing that this person is acting as your representative.

Looking at the decision again

Once an appeal has been received and accepted, the CSA will look carefully at the decision and check for any mistakes.

It will then:

• explain the reasons for the decision
• ask for more information if necessary
• work out a new child maintenance amount if appropriate

If the CSA changes its decision and that change is financially in your favour, the CSA will:

• stop the appeal
• work out a new child maintenance amount
• tell you what action has been taken

You can withdraw your appeal at any time. To withdraw an appeal, you (or your representative) must write again to the Central Appeals Unit.

The CSA will prepare an 'appeal response' if:

• you don’t want to withdraw the appeal
• the decision can’t be corrected in your favour

An appeal response is a document that has all the details of the appeal in it. This will include:

• the decision you are appealing
• the reasons for your appeal

This is sent to the Social Security and Child Support First-tier Tribunal.

The First-tier Tribunal

The independent First-tier Tribunal will hear your appeal. If they change the CSA’s original decision, they will tell the CSA what action to take. You may be able to go back to the First-tier tribunal if you think the CSA didn’t do what it was told to do.

If the First-tier Tribunal decides the CSA’s original decision was correct, that decision will stand.

You can find more information about how the tribunal works, using the link below.

Appealing against a decision made by the First-tier Tribunal

You can appeal to the Upper Tribunal if you think that the following both apply:

• the First-tier Tribunal’s decision is legally wrong
• the appeal process was not followed properly

Like the First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal is an independent body outside the CSA. It has the authority to overturn the First-tier Tribunal's decision if it thinks:

• the decision is legally wrong
• the appeal process was not followed properly

If the Upper Tribunal believes the First-tier Tribunal made the wrong decision, it will usually do one of the following:

• give the decision it thinks the First-tier Tribunal should have made
• refer the case to a different First-tier Tribunal and tell it what to do

More information about CSA appeals

For more information about appealing you can download one of the following leaflets.

If your case was opened after March 2003 download the leaflet 'How can I appeal against a child maintenance decision'.

• Download 'How can I appeal against a child maintenance decision' (PDF, 346K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

If your case was opened before March 2003, download the leaflet 'How to appeal'.

• Download 'How to appeal' (PDF, 163K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

More useful links

• If you disagree with a CSA decision

• Social Security and Child Support Tribunal website Opens new window