Social care and health Adult care services Benefits, debt and legal matters Welfare benefits
If you don't agree with a decision about your benefits:
- we can help you understand the decision and what to do next
- we can give advice and help you challenge the decision
- if you appeal, we can support you and go with you to the hearing
Please contact us as soon as possible:
- fill in our benefits enquiry form
- telephone: 01629 531535 on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday from 10am to midday, or from 2pm to 4pm
We need time to prepare if you want us to help with your appeal.
When you ask for a decision to be looked at again there are 2 steps.
Step 1: Mandatory reconsideration
Asking the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to check the decision again:
- ask for this within 1 month of the decision, if it's more than 1 month explain why it has taken you longer
- say why you think the decision is wrong
- you can ask by phone, in your Universal Credit Journal or complete a mandatory reconsideration request form and send it to the address on the decision letter
- you can ask for a copy of the evidence used to make the decision
- if you have new information, send it to them
- another person will look at your case and may contact you
- you'll get a Mandatory Reconsideration Notice - keep this safe as you need it to appeal
Step 2: Appeal
If you still don't agree after you receive a Mandatory Reconsideration Notice:
- you can appeal a benefit decision
- we can help you with your appeal and go with you to the tribunal hearing
- you must appeal within 1 month of getting your reconsideration notice
- contact us telephone: 01629 531535 as soon as you get your notice
You can find more information about how to challenge and appeal a benefit decision.
If you want to appeal a decision on Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, or Child Benefit the process is different. Please contact us for advice.