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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Benefits and money
    3. Benefits and financial support
    4. Guide to benefits
    5. After claiming benefits

    Benefit appeal hearings

    Benefit appeal hearings are held by an independent tribunal. These are organised by the Appeals Service.

    Tribunals

    You will be asked to choose between two types of tribunal hearing:

    • oral hearing - where you and/ or your representative can go to and discuss your appeal
    • paper hearing - where you or your representative do not go to the hearing and the case is decided on the written evidence

    Tribunal hearings are held in a range of venues, including some courthouses across Northern Ireland. The videos below will help you prepare: 

    • tribunal hearing at Newry Courthouse
    • tribunal hearing at Strabane Courthouse

    Preparing for your tribunal

    Papers sent to you will set out the case you have appealed against as the office which issued the decision sees it. They will include the documentary evidence it is using to support its decision.

    You should study these papers carefully. You may disagree with the facts or the office’s understanding of the law.

    You should consider what evidence you need to support your case. This includes:

    • what you can tell the Tribunal yourself
    • what others can tell the Tribunal – you can bring witnesses to the hearing, for example, if your appeal concerns problems you have looking after yourself due to a disability, you may wish to bring your carer to tell the Tribunal about the help you need
    • documents – for example, if your appeal concerns savings you have, you may wish to produce bank statements covering the period in question

    Documents to support your case

    If you have documents to support your case, send them to the Appeals Service as early as possible. Do not wait until the hearing. Producing key documents at the last moment may result in the Tribunal adjourning the hearing.

    It is your responsibility to get any evidence you feel is relevant to your appeal, this may include financial or medical evidence.

    If you are obtaining further evidence in support of your appeal, you must make sure you are aware of the time scales that may be involved in getting it, and do not delay in making your request to the appropriate individual or organisation.

    Any additional/further evidence or documents provided by you will be copied and shared by the Appeals Service in full with the department in line with tribunal practice and procedures.

    Confidentiality in Child Support and Child Maintenance cases

    If you have asked the Child Maintenance Service to keep your location confidential, your address or information which could lead to your location, will be withheld from the appeal papers being sent to the other party.

    Medical records

    The Appeals Service are unable to request medical records from your GP on your behalf. If you wish to provide the tribunal with any information on your medical records you should request these from your GP or hospital, consider the evidence you wish to provide, and forward it to the Appeals Service or bring them on the day of your hearing.

    If you are obtaining further evidence in support of your appeal, you must make sure you are aware of the time scales that may be involved in getting it, and do not delay in making your request to the appropriate individual or organisation.

    Any additional/further evidence or documents provided by you will be copied and shared by the Appeals Service in full with the department in line with tribunal practice and procedures.

    The appeal hearing

    The Tribunal will have up to three members, depending on the case. Members will have a particular expertise, for example, in law, medicine, disability or finance.

    The hearing takes place around a table and most last between half an hour and an hour. You are not allowed to record the hearing.

    Even if you have a representative, the Tribunal will probably want to ask questions directly to you.

    After the hearing

    You will be given a copy of the Tribunal’s decision within three days of your hearing.

    If you lose the appeal

    Your decision letter will tell you what to do if you aren't satisfied with the decision. You will have one month from the date the decision is issued to ask for an explanation.

    If you don’t agree with the reasons given, you can apply to the legal member of the tribunal for permission to appeal to the Commissioners. You can go directly to the Commissioners if permission is not given.

    You can only appeal to the Commissioners on a point of law. You cannot appeal to the Commissioners about questions of facts or a tribunal’s medical findings or conclusions.

    Advice and help with your appeal

    For help and advice about your case, or someone to help you present your case to the Tribunal, contact:

    • Advice NI
    • Law Centre (NI) 
    • a solicitor
    • trade union

    Using an interpreter, signer or induction loop

    If you would like an interpreter or signer at the hearing or to use the Induction Loop (AFILS) system, tell the Appeals Service as soon as possible. 

    The Appeals Service will arrange an interpreter or signer for you. You cannot use a friend or relative.

    Expenses

    You can claim for some expenses. The Clerk at the hearing will give you a claim form and a giro cheque will be sent to you later by post.

    Travel expenses

    You can claim back public transport costs or if using your car, you can claim  mileage at 12 pence per mile.

    In exceptional circumstances a taxi fare may be paid. This must be arranged beforehand with the Appeals Service and one of the following must apply:

    • you can provide written evidence from your GP that your disability stops you from using public transport
    • you can provide details that there are no suitable bus times / schedules to allow you to make your hearing on time (this will be checked by the Clerk)
    • you live outside Northern Ireland (contact the Clerk before making travel arrangements)

    Subsistence

    To claim subsistence you must be away from home for more than five hours and have travelled more than a 10 mile return journey to get to the hearing.

    Compensation for loss of earnings

    You may claim for earnings lost on the day of the hearing. There is a maximum daily amount. Compensation will not be paid for a full day if you could reasonably have worked before or after attending the hearing. You should make arrangements with your employer so you lose as little working time as possible.

    Compensation for loss of earnings cannot be paid for more than three consecutive days in any one week.

    Caring expenses

    You may claim to cover the cost of employing someone to look after your children, or an elderly or infirm close relative while you go to the hearing. There is a maximum amount and you must provide a receipt or letter from the carer showing the amount you paid.

    If someone comes with you, for example an escort, witness or representative, that person may also be entitled to expenses.

    If you claim for loss of earnings, you can’t claim child minding expenses.

    More useful links

    • Appeal a benefits decision
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    After claiming benefits

    • Appeal a benefits decision
    • Becoming an appointee for social security benefits
    • Benefit appeal hearings
    • Benefits: report a change in your circumstances
    • Going abroad
    • Over-payments of benefits and financial support
    • Standards Assurance Unit review to check your benefit payment
    • Waiving recovery of an over-payment
    • What happens to your benefits if you go to prison

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    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

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    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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