We know that housing benefit can be complicated and that you may not always agree with the decision or you may feel that we have got something wrong.
First of all, carefully check your notification letters which you can find on Citizen Access Benefits. You will need to register to view your online letters.
Follow the instructions given on the form. You are only able to view letters created from the date you register. If you need an earlier letter, contact us.
Read the details about the household and income that we are using and if you think something is incorrect, email us immediately.
After you have checked your letters, if you want to know more about the decision, or if you think something is wrong, contact us as soon as you can.
Types of request
There are 3 main things you can ask us to do.
Statement of reasons
You can ask us to explain the decision in more detail - this is called a statement of reasons.
Reconsideration
If you think something is wrong you can ask us to look again at the decision - this is called a reconsideration.
Appeal
You can ask us to refer the matter to an independent tribunal - this is called an appeal.
Timing
If you want us to look at your claim again, or you want to appeal, you must let us know within one month from the date on the decision letter. You must make sure you include as much supporting evidence as you can which will help us to review the decision as quickly as possible. Quote your claim reference in any correspondence.
An appeal may be considered after the time limit if there are special circumstances but there is an absolute time limit of 13 months from the date of the original decision.
Help and advice
We do understand that it can be difficult to ask for us to look again at decisions, but the team are here to support you.
If you have a question, contact your allocated caseworker or contact us by:
- email: benefits@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
- phone: 01344 352010
You can also ask for help from Citizens Advice.