PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Social Security Benefits: Tribunals (27 November 2023)
Question Asked
Asked by:
Navendu Mishra (Labour)
Answer
At the First-tier Tribunal, proceedings are designed to be straightforward and accessible to all. The tribunal panel is trained and experienced in dealing with a wide range of appellants with individual needs. Accordingly, the Department does not consider that it needs to provide any advocacy funding at this level.
Legal Aid, which is administered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), is still available for advice and assistance on welfare benefits appeals to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. At the First-tier Tribunal, Legal Aid may be available through the exceptional case funding scheme, if failure to provide Legal Aid may risk a breach of an individual’s human rights.
At all appellate stages, claimants are able to appoint a representative to assist with their appeal and there is helpful signposting to free support available on gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal
Answered by:
Tom Pursglove (Conservative)
4 December 2023
Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.