The Housing Benefit (Decision and Appeals) Regulations 2001 state that any person affected by a benefits decision can ask us to revise the decision. You can also appeal a decision to an independent tribunal.
A relevant decision is any matter concerning a claim for benefit, for example:
- amount of benefit payable
- rent eligible for benefit
- calculation of a claimants income
- or the calculation and recovery of an overpayment.
Some decisions, mainly administrative decisions, do not carry a right of appeal. You will be notified if the matter you are disputing does not carry the right of appeal. If we receive a request for a revision, we will look again at our decision regarding a claim for benefit. An appeal means that a tribunal, independent of the council and the Department for Work and Pensions, will consider our decision.
Who is affected:
- a claimant
- someone acting on behalf of the claimant who is appointed by the courts
- someone who the council agrees is appointed to act on behalf of the claimant
- a landlord - but only in matters relating to whom payment of benefit is to be made
- an agent - but only in matters relating to whom payment of benefit is to be made
- any person from whom, it is determined, an overpayment is to be recovered.
This means that you can ask us to revise a decision concerning the calculation of your entitlement; and that your landlord or agent can only ask us to revise a decision about whether payment should be made to a landlord and whether the decision to recover an overpayment from a landlord or agent has been correctly made.
If you are not happy with our decision
You can query our decision and request further information. We will give you an explanation, sometimes over the phone. If you are still not happy you can appeal or ask us to revise our decision.
Call us on 020 8483 4242 to discuss your claim or book an appointment.
