A person affected by a relevant decision regarding their Housing and/or Council Tax can request the local authority to revise its decision.

If you think we have made a mistake in assessing your benefit, or if you do not understand how your claim was calculated, you can write to the Benefits Section for an explanation. This is called a 'statement of reasons'. 

You can ask us to look at a decision again by contacting us here. Please provide as much information as possible on the form. A telephone number will allow us to call you to explain our decision.

You may request an appeal if you are a 'person affected'. This includes:

• The claimant.
• A Landlord/Landlord's agent who receive direct payment of rent.
• A personal representative who is dealing with a claim on behalf of someone who cannot manage their own affairs (this must be a formal arrangement such as a receiver or lawyer).
• A person appointed by the local authority to act for a claimant.

An appeal made by someone who does not have the right to make it will be invalid and will be turned down by the Appeals Tribunal because it fails to satisfy the legal requirement.

You must make your appeal in writing and send it within one month of the date you received the decision.

To be valid, your appeal must be:

• Signed by the person who has a right of appeal, and
• Contain details of the grounds on which it is made (it is not enough, for example, to say that you are unhappy with the decision – you must state why you think the decision is wrong), and
• Contain sufficient details of the decision to enable it to be identified, for example, the dates the decision covers, amount awarded, etc.

A Senior Officer will reconsider the original decision and decide whether or not it is correct. If the decision is changed in your favour your appeal will lapse and we will write to you with the new decision.

If we cannot change the decision in your favour we will write to tell you this and provide you with further information and advice.

If you disagree with a decision you have the right to challenge it.  This is called 'requesting a reconsideration', and must also be done in writing within one month of the original decision being made.

You also have the right to 'appeal' against a decision and to have your appeal heard by the Tribunals Service at an Appeal Tribunal.