The Appeals Process
What happens when I make an Appeal?
An acknowledgement will issue to you on receipt of your appeal in the Social Welfare Appeals Office. This acknowledgement will contain your Appeal Reference Number which should be quoted in all future communications with the Office.
On receipt of your appeal the Deciding Officer of the Department is asked for his/her comments on the grounds submitted in support of the appeal. The Deciding Officer may revise the decision at this stage if there is new evidence to warrant this. If the decision is not revised then the papers are sent to an Appeals Officer to consider your case.
The Appeals Officer may decide to hold an Oral Hearing of your appeal and will invite you to attend. Alternatively, the Appeals Officer may be able to deal with your case on the basis of the written evidence you submitted.
Oral Hearings
If the Appeals Officer considers that an oral hearing is necessary you will be notified.
Oral hearings are held at locations throughout the country and the Office will seek to arrange a hearing at a location convenient for you.
Hearings are held in private and will be as informal as possible. The purpose of the hearing is to allow the Appeals Officer to obtain more details about your case.
You may bring someone to accompany you at the hearing. This might be a family member, a friend or a representative.
How will I get the Decision?
The Appeals Officer considers all the evidence in full (including any evidence presented at an oral hearing if there was one). The Appeals Officer makes a determination on the appeal and notifies you of the decision in writing, setting out the reasons for that decision. A similar letter will be sent to the Department at the same time.
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