You can ask for an appeal online or you can use a paper form.
You can find both at Submit your appeal on GOV.UK
Both are easy-to-use and understand. If you use the online version, a record of what you have said is sent to your email address. If you use the form, try to keep a copy, or take a photo of each page with your phone.
No matter which you use, there are three things that you should be aware of.
You need to explain what you disagree with and why.
If you used our work capability assessment mandatory reconsideration tool to produce a letter, go to your email and find it.
Look at your decision letter. For the first activity that they didn’t award you the correct amount of points for, tell them what it is that you don’t agree with (for example, that they said you can cope with a minor unplanned change, when you cannot). And then you can copy and paste the wording from your mandatory reconsideration request letter that explains the difficulties you have with that activity (for example, I cannot cope with minor unplanned changes as I get very stressed and feel that I cannot cope. If the bus stop is closed for example, I will get upset and need to go home.)
(For less confident computer users, you do that by highlighting the text you wish to copy and pressing ctrl and C at the same time. Then go to where you want the text to appear and press ctrl and V at the same time).
Repeat this for each of the activities you don’t think you have received the correct amount of points for.
If you haven’t used our tool, look at your decision notice and the list of activities and descriptors on How limited capability for work points system works. Add each activity you don’t think you have scored the right number of points for, and explain all of the difficulties that you have with that activity and what help you need (remember it doesn’t matter that you don’t get any help).
Remember to tell them ways in which not being entitled to the benefit or not being put in the right group would put you at substantial risk of harm (see How limited capability for work points system works for a reminder of the ‘substantial risk’ rules).
If your appeal is not within one month, appeal anyway.
You just need to explain why the delay was unavoidable or a result of your disability (for example, if you were unable to deal with it until now because you need help to deal with your post, or you have been particularly unwell).
Choose to attend the tribunal hearing.
You will be asked whether you want to attend a hearing or whether you want the case to be decided on the papers alone. Almost everybody wants to choose the paper hearing because it seems less scary. However, you are much more likely to win if you have a chance to speak to them. Don’t worry, it will not be nearly as frightening as you might think. These days many hearings are happening via video or telephone – so you may not have to actually ‘go’ anywhere.
Most people win their appeals without needing new evidence, just by attending the hearing and answering questions about their disability or impairment and how it affects them.
When you ask for an appeal online, you are asked if you would like to be able to save the appeal and continue later. In order to do this, you will need to set up an account. If you say yes and provide your email address, you will be sent an email enabling you to register for the Manage your appeal service. This service lets you keep track of how your appeal is progressing, and you can use it to upload evidence (including audio and video evidence if you want to). It will send you texts or emails to let you know that the DWP have responded to your appeal, to confirm evidence has been received, and when your hearing date has been scheduled. See Prepare for a work capability assessment appeal hearing for other ways to sign up.
