Benefits Appeal Process

Can I appeal against a benefit decision?

You can appeal a decision about your entitlement to benefits, for example Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit.

For more information on how to appeal please visit www.gov.uk

Benefit decisions you can appeal:

• 30 hours free childcare scheme
• Attendance Allowance
• Bereavement Support Payment
• Budgeting Loans
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Cold Weather Payment
• Compensation Recovery Unit
• Contracted Out Employment Group
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Disability Working Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Health in Pregnancy Grant
• Home Responsibilities Protection
• Housing Benefit
• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Industrial Death Benefit
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Maternity Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Retirement Pension
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Sure Start Maternity Grant
• Tax credits
• Tax-Free Childcare
• Universal Credit
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Winter Fuel Payment

How do I appeal?

Before you have a right to appeal to a tribunal you must usually ask for the decision to be looked at again. DWP call this a mandatory reconsideration. The decision letter tells you if you must ask for a reconsideration before you can appeal. You usually have to ask for a mandatory reconsideration within a month of the decision.

When the DWP sends you the outcome of their reconsideration, they’ll include 2 copies of a mandatory reconsideration notice. If the decision’s about Universal Credit, they’ll send the notice to your online account and you’ll need to print it out. You will need to send a copy of your notice to HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) with your appeal form.

Appeal to the tribunal within one month of getting your mandatory reconsideration decision. If you start your appeal after a month you’ll have to explain why you did not do it earlier. Your appeal might not be accepted.

Where can I get advice on making an appeal?

It may be better to get help from a trained representative through your local