Appeals process
If an individual is unhappy with the outcome of their financial assessment, they must start the review and appeals process within 28 days of the notification letter. All appeals must be received in writing and must contain details of the grounds for the appeal, along with any relevant additional supporting evidence. Following receipt of an appeal request the Council will write and confirm next steps and whether any further information is required. All requests for further information from the customer will be required within 14 days of the request letter. The appeals process is described below:
Stage 1 – review
At the review stage a Senior Finance Officer will review the issues raised and consider any new financial information provided. The Officer will also check to ensure the Charging Policy has been applied correctly.
The outcome of the review should be confirmed to the person within 14 days or as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Stage 2 – appeal
If the individual is still unhappy with their reviewed charge or personal contribution following Stage 1, an appeal can be requested within 28 days of the decision letter. At the appeal stage the case will be reviewed by a Team Manager within the service. The appeal process can take up to 28 days from the time the completed appeals form is received to the time the individual is informed of the outcome.
The outcome at each stage of the process is communicated to the individual who will continue to be charged the original assessed contribution during the review and appeal process. If, after the review and appeal, the Council asks the person to pay a different weekly contribution, the difference will be backdated and any overpaid contributions will be refunded. If an independent adjudicator makes a recommendation to waive the assessed charge, this will be ratified by a Senior Manager.
If, following the appeal process, the individual would like to make a formal complaint, information is available regarding the Council’s complaints process and how to make a complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: Complaints, comments and compliments – adult social care