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If you disagree with a decision about benefits, tax credits or child maintenance you can ask for the decision to be looked at again - this is called 鈥榤andatory reconsideration鈥�.

It鈥檚 free to ask for mandatory reconsideration.

You can ask for mandatory reconsideration if any of the following apply:

• you think the office dealing with your claim has made an error or missed important evidence
• you disagree with the reasons for the decision
• you want to have the decision looked at again

Some decisions cannot be reconsidered. Others can go straight to an appeal. Your original decision letter will say if this applies to you.

Benefits this applies to

You can ask for mandatory reconsideration for benefits including:

• Attendance Allowance
• Bereavement Allowance
• Carer鈥檚 Allowance
• Carer鈥檚 Credit
• child maintenance (sometimes known as 鈥榗hild support鈥�)
• Compensation Recovery Scheme (including NHS recovery claims)
• Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Funeral Expenses Payment
• Income Support
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance (JSA)
• Maternity Allowance
• National Insurance credits
• Pension Credit
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Sure Start Maternity Grant
• Universal Credit (including advance payments)
• Winter Fuel Payment

Challenge decisions about other benefits

There are different processes to challenge decisions about:

• Budgeting Loans

• Child Benefit

• Guardian鈥檚 Allowance听

• Housing Benefit

• tax credits听

• Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare
• Vaccine Damage Payment

Make sure you understand the reason for the decision you received before you ask for mandatory reconsideration. This will help you explain why you disagree.

Understanding the decision you received

If you need help understanding the reason for your benefit decision, call the benefits office dealing with your claim. They鈥檒l be able to explain the reason for your benefit decision and answer any questions.

You can still ask for mandatory reconsideration after you鈥檝e spoken to your benefits office.

If you want an explanation in writing

You can ask for a written explanation from the benefits office dealing with your claim - known as a 鈥榳ritten statement of reasons鈥�.

You do not need to do this for Personal Independence Payment - your decision letter will include a written statement.

You can still ask for mandatory reconsideration, but must do this within 14 days of the date on your written statement of reasons.

Get help and advice

You can get free help and advice from:听

You can also seek advice from a legal adviser or solicitor.

Contact the benefits office that gave you the decision. You can contact them:

• using your journal (if you have access to a Universal Credit account and the decision is about Universal Credit)
• by phone
• by letter
• by filling in and returning a form for asking for mandatory reconsideration

The contact details are on your decision letter.

If you do not have your decision letter, contact the office where you applied for the benefit.

What you need to provide

When you ask for mandatory reconsideration, you need to give:

• the date of the original benefit decision
• your name and address
• your date of birth
• your National Insurance number

Explain what part of the decision is wrong and why - you can send evidence to support your reasons.

If you send evidence

Any evidence you send needs to support your reasons for why the decision was wrong. It could, for example, be:

• new medical evidence
• reports or care plans from specialists, therapists or nurses
• bank statements or payslips

Write your full name, date of birth and National Insurance number at the top of each bit of evidence and send it to the benefit office where you applied for your benefit.

Do not include:

• general information about your condition - for example factsheets, medical certificates or sick notes
• appointment cards or letters about medical appointments, unless you could not claim your benefit because you were at the appointment
• letters about tests that you鈥檙e due to have
• bus or train tickets to prove you鈥檝e made a journey

If you鈥檙e not sure what evidence to send, read the guidance for the form for asking for mandatory reconsideration. You can also call the number on your decision letter.

Applying after one month

You can ask for mandatory reconsideration after one month but it must be for a good reason, for example if you鈥檝e been in hospital or had a bereavement. You must explain why your request is late.

Call the phone number on your decision letter first.

What happens next

The benefits office that gave you the original benefit decision will reconsider it.

When they鈥檝e reconsidered it, you鈥檒l get a letter called a 鈥榤andatory reconsideration notice鈥� telling you whether they鈥檝e changed the decision.

The mandatory reconsideration notice will explain the reasons for that decision and the evidence it was based on.

You can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal if you think the decision in the mandatory reconsideration notice is wrong. The tribunal is supported by HM Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) and is independent of government.

A judge will listen to both sides of the argument before making a decision.

You usually need to appeal within one month of the date of your mandatory reconsideration notice.