Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus
(asked on 20th April 2020) - View Source
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service is taking to process social security benefit appeals at the First Tier Tribunal during the covid-19 outbreak.
HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working hard to keep our justice system functioning during this unprecedented public health emergency. We are focusing on priority cases, changing working practices and introducing new procedures to minimise risks to the judiciary, staff and all those who use our courts and tribunals.
In line with government guidance, face to face hearings in the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) (SSCS) have been replaced with telephone hearings and the use of other remote hearing technology to facilitate as many hearings as possible being held remotely. All parties to the hearings are being contacted directly to confirm new hearing arrangements.
In addition to holding remote hearings in all regions, appeals may also be decided by judges sitting alone in chambers, using the evidence before them in the case papers.
These changes to Tribunal practice are authorised by Practice Direction of the Senior President of Tribunals (effective 19th March 2020) and amendments to the relevant Tribunal procedure rules:
www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2020/416.
Pilot Practice Direction: Contingency Arrangement in the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal
Pilot Practice Direction: Panel Composition in the First-tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal
The latest advice and guidance from the government and judiciary in relation to appeals within the Tribunal during the coronavirus pandemic is updated regularly and can be viewed using the following links:
www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparation