Online appeals resolution

Yes there is an ESA online appeal application form available now, I found it by accident this week looking for the SSCS1 form.

Form SSCS1: Appeal a social security benefits decision (Notice of appeal)

See attached letters regarding the ESA development

Yeah, just had those ourselves.

I have submitted my first online PIP appeal with a client few days ago. I’ve put down my contact details as a rep and eagerly awaited to either be able to print off the application once submitted, or be shown a PDF file or summary, or receive something by email,so I can have a copy for client’s file.
Nada. None of the above.
Have I done it wrong? I did get an email confirmation that the appeal has been submitted.
If indeed no copy is generated or emailed after submission, I may have to go back to paper SSCS1 just so I can have a copy on file- although I would very much prefer not to worry about Recorded Delivery and all that palaver.

I’ve only done one and initially was a bit concerned about this too. However, on reflection, once you know it’s an issue then

- report it and ask for the change.
- when writing case notes I periodically select them and hit copy. When our case recording system crashes at the 3,000 word point it’s then easy enough to paste into a blank Word document and then paste back into wherever. Same applies for online forms.
- when you hit the acknowledgement screen you have all you need for the time being. Screen shot it as evidence of completion. The SSCS1 form pops up again when you get your bundle.

You should receive a copy or three in this case

You get the whole thing if you scroll down - I’m sure someone said you don’t get the grounds etc.

see below - identifying details should have been removed

From: Benefit Appeals [mailto:benefit.appeals@notifications.service.gov.uk]

To: Help With Benefit Appeals
Subject: XXXXXX PIP appeal: appeal lodged

Appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXXX Dear J Birks XXXX’s PIP benefit appeal has been lodged with the tribunal. There’s a summary of their appeal further down the email. What happens next Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has to respond to the a…

GOV.UK

HM Courts & Tribunals Service
 
Appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXX
Dear J Birks
XXXX’s PIP benefit appeal has been lodged with the tribunal. There’s a summary of their appeal further down the email.
What happens next
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has to respond to the appeal by 22 February 2019. You will receive an email which explains what happens next, after they’ve responded.
You don’t have to do anything unless you or XXXX have more evidence that you want the tribunal to consider. You can post this to the tribunal at the address below.
Track their appeal anytime:
https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/trackyourappeal/———-
Sending evidence to support the appeal
Evidence helps the tribunal understand XXXX’s condition and how it affects their life. For example, you or a doctor could write a letter which describes their condition and what it means they can and cannot do.
Find out more about what evidence the tribunal finds useful:https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/evidence/———-
Post any evidence to the following address as soon as possible. This is so the tribunal have time to read it.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Social Security & Child Support Appeals
Prudential Buildings
36 Dale Street
LIVERPOOL
L2 5UZ
Make sure it’s clearly marked with the appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXX
Appeal summary
Benefit
Benefit name: Personal Independence Payment
Mandatory Reconsideration Notice (MRN)
Date of MRN: 2019-01-09
Name
Name:  XXXX
Date of birth: 1983-xx-xx
National Insurance number:————-
Address: 1 any street
Email: example @gmail.com
Phone: 07———-
Text message reminders
Receive text message reminders: yes
Mobile number: 07————-
Representative
Have a representative: yes
Name: J Birks
Organisation: Help with Benefit Appeals – SMBC
Address: First Floor Fred Perry House
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: Not provided
Reasons for appealing
What you disagree with: That I am not entitled.
Why you disagree with it: I believe I should have been scored sufficient points to be awarded at least the Standard rate of either component.
Anything else you want to tell the tribunal: Not provided
The hearing
Attending the hearing: yes
Hearing arrangements
Language interpreter: Not required
Sign interpreter: Not required
Hearing loop: Not required
Disabled access: Not required
Any other arrangements: Not required
The information I have provided in this appeal is accurate, to the best of my knowledge.
I give permission for the tribunal to correspond with my named representative about my appeal.
I agree to the terms and conditions of using the ‘Appeal a benefit decision’ service.
Signed: XX xxxxxn
PIP Benefit Appeals
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Telephone: 0300 123 1142
This message is automatically generated; please do not reply to this email.
Change your email address or stop receiving these emails: https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/manage-email-notifications/————

John Birks - 25 January 2019 10:10 AM

You should receive a copy or three in this case

You get the whole thing if you scroll down - I’m sure someone said you don’t get the grounds etc.

Yes, I posted above that one of our workers had reported that you don’t get a copy of the grounds after you click submit. In that case, we wouldn’t have been listing ourselves as rep. I didn’t know about the email confirmation, which would hopefully have gone to the appellant in that case.

It would be nice to have them on the screen at the end of the application process, with a ‘print a copy for your records’ button, but if there’s an automatic email then I can see why HMCTS wouldn’t see the need.

Meanwhile:

The Court of Appeal has granted leniency to a litigant whose first attempt at submitting a document failed because the electronic file was too big.

In J v K & Anor, Lord Justice Underhill said the appellant, then unrepresented, could not have been expected to know the limits on email submission and his appeal was wrongly dismissed.

Law Society Gazette: https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/court-restores-appeal-after-email-over-10mb-bounced-back/5068985.article
Rightsnet summary: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/employment/caselaw/item/j-v-k-anor
Judgment: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2019/5.html

And now this:

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jan/28/justice-ministry-knew-court-it-systems-were-obsolete-papers-reveal

Following from the Senior President of Tribunals Tribunals Judicial Ways of Working report (summarised in rightsnet news), the Senior President has updated his annual report - including (at Appendix F) an example model digital tribunal -

... that does not exist but it allows people to see what might be available when a new or modernised jurisdiction or process is being considered….

- includes details of ‘automatic’ case management functions alreadiy in place (such as ‘track my appeal’) to possible support systems and video hearing processes.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Supplementary-SPT-report-Dec-2018_final.pdf

John Birks - 25 January 2019 10:10 AM

You should receive a copy or three in this case

You get the whole thing if you scroll down - I’m sure someone said you don’t get the grounds etc.

see below - identifying details should have been removed

From: Benefit Appeals [mailto:benefit.appeals@notifications.service.gov.uk]

To: Help With Benefit Appeals
Subject: XXXXXX PIP appeal: appeal lodged

Appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXXX Dear J Birks XXXX’s PIP benefit appeal has been lodged with the tribunal. There’s a summary of their appeal further down the email. What happens next Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has to respond to the a…

GOV.UK

HM Courts & Tribunals Service
 
Appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXX
Dear J Birks
XXXX’s PIP benefit appeal has been lodged with the tribunal. There’s a summary of their appeal further down the email.
What happens next
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has to respond to the appeal by 22 February 2019. You will receive an email which explains what happens next, after they’ve responded.
You don’t have to do anything unless you or XXXX have more evidence that you want the tribunal to consider. You can post this to the tribunal at the address below.
Track their appeal anytime:
https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/trackyourappeal/———-
Sending evidence to support the appeal
Evidence helps the tribunal understand XXXX’s condition and how it affects their life. For example, you or a doctor could write a letter which describes their condition and what it means they can and cannot do.
Find out more about what evidence the tribunal finds useful:https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/evidence/———-
Post any evidence to the following address as soon as possible. This is so the tribunal have time to read it.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Social Security & Child Support Appeals
Prudential Buildings
36 Dale Street
LIVERPOOL
L2 5UZ
Make sure it’s clearly marked with the appeal reference number: SC944/19/00XXX
Appeal summary
Benefit
Benefit name: Personal Independence Payment
Mandatory Reconsideration Notice (MRN)
Date of MRN: 2019-01-09
Name
Name:  XXXX
Date of birth: 1983-xx-xx
National Insurance number:————-
Address: 1 any street
Email: example @gmail.com
Phone: 07———-
Text message reminders
Receive text message reminders: yes
Mobile number: 07————-
Representative
Have a representative: yes
Name: J Birks
Organisation: Help with Benefit Appeals – SMBC
Address: First Floor Fred Perry House
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: Not provided
Reasons for appealing
What you disagree with: That I am not entitled.
Why you disagree with it: I believe I should have been scored sufficient points to be awarded at least the Standard rate of either component.
Anything else you want to tell the tribunal: Not provided
The hearing
Attending the hearing: yes
Hearing arrangements
Language interpreter: Not required
Sign interpreter: Not required
Hearing loop: Not required
Disabled access: Not required
Any other arrangements: Not required
The information I have provided in this appeal is accurate, to the best of my knowledge.
I give permission for the tribunal to correspond with my named representative about my appeal.
I agree to the terms and conditions of using the ‘Appeal a benefit decision’ service.
Signed: XX xxxxxn
PIP Benefit Appeals
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Telephone: 0300 123 1142
This message is automatically generated; please do not reply to this email.
Change your email address or stop receiving these emails: https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/manage-email-notifications/————

I have not received such email. All I got was this:

“From: Benefit Appeals [mailto:benefit.appeals@notifications.service.gov.uk]
Sent: 22 January 2019 10:30
To .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Subject: You are the registered representative on a PIP benefit appeal

Dear Joanna Smith You’ve been registered by XX XX as the representative on their PIP benefit appeal. You will receive all the updates about their appeal by email. You will also be able to contact the tribunal on their behalf and submit information. You can provide them with as much support as you want.
What happens next
You’ll receive another email within 3 days which contains a summary of the information they submitted. This email contains more information about what happens next and a link so you can track their appeal online.
If you do not want to be the representative on this appeal then call the number below.
PIP Benefit Appeals
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Telephone: 0300 123 1142
This message is automatically generated; please do not reply to this email.
Change your email address or stop receiving these emails: https://www.track-benefit-appeal.service.gov.uk/manage-email- notifications/Wk1xZUxEXyz”

No appeal reference number, no summary, no follow up email with a summary as promised in the text of the email.
Further- appeal not registered on the system, Tribunal Service unable to locate it.

Appears this one has fallen into a deep black hole. Lost one month in a queue :(

According to Buzzfeed -

The Ministry of Justice left data out of a published report that showed people had a more positive experience of the justice system if they had physically been in court, a finding which senior lawyers and campaigners say undermines its push to take more cases online and out of courtrooms.

The Ministry Of Justice Has Been Accused Of Sitting On Evidence That Undermines Its Drive To Close Courts

Conspiracy or cock-up. It really is becoming hard to decide.

shawn - 25 February 2016 03:51 PM

Heading our way?

Online dispute resolution to be piloted for social security and child support appeals

it’s getting closer ...

The digital pilot for Continuous Online Resolution which will launch in mid-April, will establish whether a PIP appeal can be determined by online resolution, with all parties accepting the outcome of that resolution.  The pilot will be supported by Birmingham Administrative Support Centre and trialled by Midlands, Sutton and North-West Tribunal Panels, inviting up to 1000 appellants to participate in the trial on a rolling basis (in groups of 50). A quantitative and qualitative evaluation report will be produced during the pilot.

Innovation Plan 2019/2020 provides update on progress with modernisation of tribunals programme including for the Social Security Chamber.

Submit your appeal for PIP and ESA now live as of 02/07/2019

July 2019

Dear Tribunal User,
Submit Your PIP or ESA Appeal Online

You may be aware of the Submit Your Appeal service running in England and Wales, which enables appellants to submit their PIP or ESA appeal online. I am delighted to let you know that, with effect from 2 July, the service is now live for users in Scotland.

This new service dispenses with the need for printed forms and postage, can be accessed from PCs, mobile phones or tablets; and will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further advantages are that the appeal is submitted instantly to HMCTS, registered on our case management system by the next working day and transmitted electronically the same day to the Department for Work and Pensions, eliminating delays caused by postal transfer.

You can access the new service, hosted on Gov.uk, using the link below. Once on the webpage, scroll down to the Section headed ‘Submit Your Appeal’ and click on the green ‘Start Now’ button to begin the process.
https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal

Once the appeal is submitted, the user is invited to participate in a satisfaction survey and to feed back any comments on how the service could be improved. This feedback will help develop and enhance the service.

You can support the development, enhancement and expansion of Submit Your Appeal by:
• Making appeals online for your clients, instead of using paper forms;
• Providing feedback about changes/enhancements using the satisfaction survey;
• Making your clients aware of the new service if they intend to appeal themselves; and
• Providing your clients with a link to the new service.

If you have any questions about this new service, please feel free to contact the project team using the email address below.
Kind regards,

Daniel Flury

Deputy Director, Tribunals
HM Courts and Tribunals Service
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)