Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure sufficient information relating to claimants is provided for appeal cases for hearing at tribunals relating to universal credit.

In relation to the claimant themselves, the Secretary of State will provide the tribunal with an appeal response. This sets out in detail what decision was made; why it was made, including the evidence and law considered; and why the application for Mandatory Reconsideration was unsuccessful, including the evidence and law considered at that stage. The response is also given to the claimant so that they can prepare for the hearing accordingly. Information about this is in the Universal Credit link on GOV.UK.

In relation to the hearing itself, all relevant appeals information is contained in the forms and leaflet issued by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service - SSCS1 and SSCS1A. The department sign posts UC appellants to the relevant GOV.UK link via its Mandatory Reconsideration Notice – the decision notice which contains the right of appeal and which is sent to all UC claimants whose benefit decision carries the right of appeal.