Benefits and Work is running a FREE to MEMBERS training course on Tribunal Practice and Procedure: Making Appeals Work on the following dates:
Part 1: Tuesday 30th September from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm
Part 2: Tuesday 7th October from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm
(members should attend both sessions)
The course is designed to examine how appeals should be considered as a matter of law and ‘good practice. It is aimed at those who may be going to appeal as an unsupported appellant and representatives - both new and seasoned advisers. It is beneficial to know when going to appeal the arena that you are entering into, the key principles and expectations.
Course content: Amongst the topics covered will be:
- the role of the First-tier Tribunal, representative and Presenting Officer
- the inquisitorial v adversarial arena
- the standards of evidence and burden of proof
- what things may and may not constitute evidence
- vulnerable witnesses
- tribunal’s use of ‘on the day’ observations
- the approach to conflicting evidence
- adverse decision - when an existing award may be reduced or removed
- submission writing - good practice
Whilst the focus will surround disability-related type appeals (e.g. Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and the Work Capability Assessment) those involved in other types of appeals (e.g. overpayments and benefit sanctions) should also be able to benefit from the training.
The course is being delivered by Mark Perlic (from the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Welfare Rights Service) and Keely Gabriel (from Benefits and Work) both of whom have extensive knowledge of and experience of appeals work.
It is often said that many tribunals, appellants and representatives look upon an appeal as simply a means for the determination of entitlement. In practice an appeal is both a question of entitlement and a question of how the decision on entitlement has been reached. The former is determined upon reference to matters of evidence, facts and law. The latter is a matter of tribunal practice and procedure.
Who can attend: Places are limited, and we will be allocating them with the aim of getting a mix of participants:
- members who are representing themselves at an appeal
- members who are supporting others in a voluntary or paid capacity.
You do not need previous knowledge of appeals, but it would be worth reading through one of the appeals guides in the members area relating to the benefit you are interested in prior to the training.
Please note: the trainers will not be able to answer questions about individual cases in the course of this training.
How to book: If you would like to apply for a free place, then please complete the brief form, by following the link in the members’ area at the top of this page. You will receive an email not later than 1pm on Monday 29 September if you have been allocated a place.
We apologise for the very short notice, but we are fortunate to have been offered this free training under any circumstances. We hope to video the training and make it available to members who do not have the chance to attend.
