If you do not understand the Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction decision, you can ask for a detailed statement on how we made the decision.
If you are unhappy or disagree with a Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction decision, you need to either -
- ask us to reconsider the decision. This is the recommended choice
- make a formal appeal against a Housing Benefit decision
You can do this by completing the online form.
Before you complete this form, you will need to know -
- your claim reference number
- the date of the decision that you disagree with
This information is on the decision letter and can be found on the top right of the letter.
Submit a Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction Appeal (opens in new window)
Make a formal appeal against a Housing Benefit decision
To appeal, you must write to us within one calendar month of the date of the decision. You must state what decision you are appealing against, what you disagree with and an explanation of why you disagree.
Your appeal request must be signed unless completed online. We will reconsider the decisions, and if it cannot be changed in your favour, we pass it to the Independent Tribunals Service.
The Tribunals service is independent of us.
If you have been advised that your appeal has been passed to the Tribunals Service, they will send a letter to you to arrange the date and time for the tribunal hearing.
The appeals tribunal is made up of people who are not from Hull City Council.
Making a formal appeal against a Council Tax Reduction decision
For Council Tax Reduction decisions, you must ask us to reconsider the decision before you make a formal appeal. The reconsideration should be received within one calendar month of the original decision being made.
If you still disagree with the decision after it has been reconsidered, you must write to the Independent Valuation Tribunal within 2 months.
Asking for a statement or for us to reconsider a decision about your housing benefit or council tax reduction does not take away your right to submit an appeal.
Landlord's right of appeal
There are occasions when a landlord can ask us to reconsider a decision. However, there are only certain decisions we can reconsider, such as -
- the decision about who we pay Housing Benefit to
- whether an overpayment is recoverable from you
- the amount and period of overpayment
- the reason for the overpayment
A written request or online form for an appeal must be received within one calendar month of the notification date.
Revenues and Benefits
Freepost RSJC-KKBE-ABXZ
Hull City Council
PO Box 15
Hull
HU1 2AA
If you would like to know how much benefit you may be able to receive or help with budgeting, visit our benefit calculator and budgeting tools.