Make a Housing Benefit or Council Tax reduction appeal

Every time your benefit is calculated you will receive a decision in writing regarding your entitlement. You should check this letter carefully. If any of the information is wrong, missing or you are unsure about it, you should contact us as soon as possible.

Housing Benefit appeals

If you think a decision we have made is wrong you can:

  • Ask us for an explanation which we can give you over the phone or in writing.
  • Ask us to look at our decision again. A request for us to look at your claim again must be in writing and signed by you. You should contact us within one month of the date of the letter. We will then send you a Statement of Reasons explaining how we made the decision.
  • Make an appeal against the decision. This must be made in writing. If your request is later than the one month from the date of our original notification letter, you should give reasons why it is late.

To make an appeal, write to

Wandsworth Council
Benefits Service
PO Box 500
London
SW18 2PN

Council Tax reduction appeals

If you feel that our decision is wrong, write to us including the reasons why you disagree and we will look at our decision again. We will write to you confirming we have either changed our decision or the reasons why we feel it is correct.

If you still feel our decision is wrong or we have not sent you a response within two months, then you can appeal against our decision by emailing the Valuation Tribunal Service at appeals@vts.gsi.gov.uk, giving details of your claim and why you think the decision is wrong.

To make an appeal, write to

Wandsworth Council
The Benefits Service
PO Box 500
London
SW18 2PN

When you cannot appeal

You cannot appeal against decisions involving a rule that is laid out in the council's reduction scheme. For example, some claimants cannot receive more reduction than 70% of their Council Tax liability.

An appeal made against a decision that you cannot appeal against is known as out of jurisdiction, and cannot be considered. The Valuation Tribunal will tell you if they consider your appeal to be out of jurisdiction.

The Tribunal cannot hear appeals about the contents of our scheme, only the way the scheme has been applied to your individual case.

You must continue to pay your Council Tax while awaiting the result of an appeal hearing.

Up to Housing Benefit

Updated: 04/10/2022