Housing Benefit reconsiderations and appeals
The amount of benefit payable is a matter between the Council and the claimant. Only the claimant can ask the Council to reconsider the amount of benefit they are awarded.
If the Council reduces a someone's benefit to recover an overpayment in respect of a previous address, the current landlord can't appeal against the decision to recover that overpayment.
What should someone do if they are not happy with the Council's decision?
A person affected can query the Council's decision and request further information about the decision. The Council will give the person an explanation, sometimes over the phone. If they are still not happy they can appeal or request a revision of the Council's decision.
How to ask for a reconsideration?
The person affected must contact the Council by letter or email within one calendar month of the date on the notification letter.
In exceptional circumstances the Council can extend the time limit for requesting a decision to be changed. The person affected must write to the Council giving reasons for not contacting us within the first month.
Will the Council notify the person of the outcome of a request for a reconsideration?
After reconsidering its decision the Council will write to the person affected stating that the decision has been changed or that it will stay the same. The Council may request further information from the person affected before it makes a final decision. The person must provide the information within one month of the request.
Statement of reasons
A person affected can ask the Council to provide a written Statement of Reasons. The Statement of Reasons does not affect your right of appeal. The statement will explain how the Council reached its decision. The time taken for the Council to provide the statement may extend the time limit for requesting a revision or seeking an appeal to the Tribunal.
How does a person ask the Tribunals Service to look at the Council's decision?
A person affected by a decision may request that a First Tier Tribunal consider the Council's decision. The request must be in writing and must be received by the Council within one month of the date on the decision notification letter. The Council's leaflet explaining the decision-making and appeals procedures contains a form that can be used to appeal.
Where the person affected previously requested that the Council revise its decision, and has received a reply from the Council regarding the request, the person has one month from the date the Council notified the outcome of the request to ask for their case to be considered by the First Tier Tribunal.
In exceptional circumstances the time limit for requesting an appeal can be extended. The person affected must write to the Council giving grounds for not appealing at the appropriate time. A request for an extension of the time limit will not be considered if it is made 13 months after the notice of decision was issued.
Will the person have to attend the Tribunal?
First Tier Tribunals are held locally. The Tribunals Service will write to the person to tell them of the date, time and place of their hearing. They will also be asked if they want to attend or whether they would prefer the Tribunal to consider their case without them being present, this is called a 'paper hearing'.
In most cases the Tribunal will consist of a Tribunal Judge who is a legally qualified person. If, however, complicated financial matters are to be considered a financially qualified person will also be present. The Clerk to the Tribunal and the Council's representative may also be present.
What if I am not happy with the Tribunal's decision?
If the Council or the person affected feels that the decision of the Tribunal is wrong in law they can seek leave to appeal to the Upper Tribunal.
If you would like to discuss Housing Benefits you can contact us via email housing.benefits@allerdale.gov.uk or Telephone: 0303 123 1702
