Appeals
Contact us, if you want to know more about a decision that has been made about your Council Tax bill, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support. If you disagree with a decision then you have the right appeal.
Appeal liability to pay
You may also appeal if you consider that you are not liable to pay Council Tax, for example, because you are not the resident or owner, or because your property is exempt, or that we have made a mistake calculating your bill. If you wish to appeal on these grounds you must notify us in writing, and we will readily review the situation. Contact us with the details of your appeal.
If you make an appeal and you are still not satisfied that a proper decision has been reached (or you are not notified of a decision within 2 months of making your appeal) you can contact the Valuation Tribunal Service.
Appeal valuation bands
All Council Tax valuations are based on the price a property would have fetched if it had been sold on 1 April 1991. Any increase or fall in a dwelling's value which results from general changes in the housing market since then, will not affect your Council Tax band. However, you can appeal if:
- There is a big increase or reduction in the value of your home
- You start or stop using part of the home for business
- You have just moved address (you must appeal within six months of your move)
- The Listing Officer alters the band
- We are sending bills to the wrong person for your home
- Your home should be an exempt dwelling (see discounts and exemptions)
the amount of the bill is incorrect, for example, if you think a discount should apply or if the council has not reduced the bill for a disability.
Check your Council Tax band
Information about the Listing Officer and appeals can be found at the Valuation Office Agency website.
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support appeals
If you think that our decision about your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support is wrong, you can ask us to explain the reasons for the decision, ask us to look at the decision again or appeal against the decision.
The decision could be about:
- the amount of benefit payable
- the rent eligible for the benefit
- the calculation of a claimants income
- the calculation and recovery of an overpayment
- council tax banding
Housing Benefit appeals
1. If you are not happy with the decision and would like us to look at it again, then you must appeal in writing within one month of the date of the decision letter (not the date you contact the office).
Email:
Post: Revenues and Benefits, PO Box 11, Pershore, WR10 1PU
2. If you disagree with the reply, you have the right to appeal again or request a revision of our decision. You have one month from the date of the decision to write and ask us to look at it again.
3. If we have explained our decision and you still think it is wrong, you can appeal against it. Your request in writing must be sent back to us within one month of the date of the decision letter.
4. If we agree that the original decision is wrong we will send you a new decision and your appeal will stop. If we do not change the decision, your appeal will be sent to the Appeals Service. An independent Appeal Tribunal, made up of experts appointed by the Appeals Service will look at the appeal.
If you feel that the Appeal Tribunal's decision is wrong in law you can seek to leave to appeal to the Social Security Commissioners.
Council Tax Support appeals
1. If you want us to look at the decision again, you must do it in writing within one month of the date of the decision letter, (not the date you contact the office).
Email:
Post: Revenues and Benefits, PO Box 11, Pershore, WR10 1PU
2. If you are not happy after our reply, you can appeal, of which there is no time limit. If you are still not happy with the outcome, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.
Some decisions, mainly administrative decisions, do not carry a right of appeal. We will tell you if what you are disputing does not carry the right of appeal.
If you have any further questions regarding appeals please contact us.