The Tribunal Service and hearing
The Tribunal Service
The tribunal service is independent. If you have been informed that your appeal has been passed to the tribunal service your case will be decided at an appeal tribunal. The tribunal is made up of people who are not from the local authority. A copy of the case papers that have been passed to the Tribunal Service will be sent to you.
The Tribunal Service will contact you directly and will arrange the time, date and venue for the hearing.
An advice centre like the Citizen’s Advice Bureau can also give you free advice. If you decide to use a solicitor, we do not cover the cost of a solicitor to help you at a hearing. You cannot get any money for things like solicitors fees from the Tribunal Service either.
The hearing
At the tribunal hearing a tribunal judge who is a legally qualified person will consider your appeal. They will check the evidence, the law and the circumstances at the time we made the decision you are appealing against. A presenting officer from the council may also attend the hearing to present the case from the council’s point of view. You will be given the opportunity to present your side of the case to the panel.
After the tribunal has considered all the evidence from an oral or paper hearing, it will reach a decision. After the tribunal has reached a decision it will provide a decision notice either orally at the hearing or in writing.
Once you have received the decision notice you can request a statement of reasons for the decision.
If you or the local authority disagree with the tribunals decision
You may be able to appeal to the Upper Tribunal. You can appeal to the Upper Tribunal if you have already appealed to the Tribunal Service or the local authority. You can only appeal to the Upper Tribunal on a point of law; you cannot appeal questioning facts or a tribunal’s findings or conclusions.
Further information about the Tribunal Service is available from:
The Tribunal Service
SSCSA
Administrative Support Centre
P.O. BOX 14620 B16 6FR
Tel: 0300 123 1142