You are entitled to ask for outside help and
advice with your appeal.
Organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau
(CAB) or a local law centre can represent you and help you
understand the reasons behind benefit decisions.
They can help you fill in your appeal form or write your appeal
letter and will sometimes attend hearings with you.
It will help if you show them any letters you have about the
decision.
Trade unions can help with all the same tasks for their members and
may be able to speak for you at your hearing.
You can find addresses for these organisations in a library, your
local phone book or service directory such as the Thomson Local or
Yellow Pages.
You may also be able to receive advice from a solicitor under the
Legal Advice and Assistance Scheme.
However, the scheme does not cover the cost of a solicitor to help
you at a hearing and you cannot claim solicitor's fees back from us
or the Appeals Service.
If you live abroad you can ask someone in the UK to act for you and
they may be able to receive help under the same scheme.
For a full explanation of your rights of appeal download our
housing and council tax benefit leaflet.
|