If you wish to appeal your housing benefit decision for April 2015 (that is the reduction of your benefit due to the imposition of the bedroom tax) please read the following.

Before you can appeal the decision you need to write to your council's housing benefit office and request them to look at the decision again. They will then carry out a reconsideration of the reduction to your housing benefit.

They will then write back to you with their decision. If they inform you that the reduction to your housing benefit (bedroom tax) still stands, which they probably will, then you have the right to request an appeal.

You should fill in an SSCS1 appeal form and send it directly to the Tribunal Service along with the reconsideration notice from your local council.

If your appeal is out-of-time (that is not submitted within one month after the housing benefit decision on 1st April) then you will need to write the reason for the appeal being after the one month period on the SSCS1 form. Please see the Reasons for late appeal document on this website.

Even after the one month time limit, the Tribunal Service will usually accept an appeal for twelve months after the original decision. This said, it is important to state the reasons for your appeal being submitted after the one month period.

We strongly recommend that you consult the Citizens Advice Bureau or a similar welfare benefits advice organisation.