Benefits and Council Tax

Appeals

In this section

Appeals

If you disagree with a decision that has been made about your Council Tax bill, Business Rates, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, then you have the right appeal.

Find out more using the links below:

Appeal Business Rates rates bill
Appeal liability to pay Council Tax
Appeal valuation bands Council Tax
Housing benefit and council tax support appeals

Appeal Business Rates rates bill

If you wish to appeal against your rateable value, it is free to do so, visit the Valuation Office Agency website.

You do not have to be represented in discussions about your rateable value or your rates bill, however if you do wish to be represented, qualified and regulated members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV), can provide this service.

Further information on Business Rates can be found on the Businesslink website.

Rogue business rates agents

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is urging businesses to protect themselves from rogue business rates agents. VOA is aware of false claims that the deadline for appeals to the 2023 rating lists is 30 June. Businesses can challenge their valuation if they think it’s incorrect and are generally able to challenge their property valuation on the 2023 list at any time until March 2026.

Most agents are reputable and provide a good service, but a small minority act in bad faith. Businesses should be cautious of any agent who tries to pressure them to make a decision or sign a contract, makes claims about ‘unclaimed credits’ or similar or demands large sums of money up front.

The VOA has produced a checklist to help businesses if they want to use a business rates agent. If individuals are concerned about potential misrepresentation by agents, send any evidence to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Appeal liability to pay Council Tax or Business Rate

You may also appeal if you consider that you are not liable to pay, i.e. you don't live there or do not own the property, or we have made a mistake calculating your bill.

If you wish to appeal on these grounds you must contact us in writing with the details, and we will readily review the situation.

Please note: Making an appeal does not allow you to withhold payment of tax owing in the meantime. If your appeal is successful you will be entitled to a refund of any overpaid tax.

If you make an appeal and you are still not satisfied that a proper decision has been reached, you can contact the Listing Officer.

You can find more information on the Valuation Tribunal Service website.

Appeal Council Tax 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 (view 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.

Please note: The Listing Officer can increase your band if an error has been made. If you think your band is too low you may wish to can contact the Listing Officer.

If you make an appeal and you are still not satisfied that a proper decision has been reached, you can contact the Listing Officer.

You can find more information on the Valuation Tribunal Service website.

Appeal your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support decision

If you believe our decision about your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support is wrong, you have a few options:

Ask us to explain the reasons for the decision
Ask us to review the decision
Appeal the decision

The decision could relate to:

The amount of housing benefit / council tax support discount payable
The rent eligible for housing benefit
How we have calculated your income
How we have calculated and recovered an overpayment of housing benefit

Housing Benefit appeals

How to ask for an Explanation, Review, or Appeal:
You must submit your request in writing to this office within one month of the date on the Housing Benefit decision letter.

You can contact us by:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Post: Revenues and Benefits, PO Box 11, Pershore, WR10 1PU

We will consider the decision made and let you know if we have decided to change the decision or if it should remain as it is.

Submitting a Formal Appeal:
If you want to bypass the request for an explanation and just submit an appeal / or after our explanation, you still disagree with the decision, you can formally appeal via a letter to this office; you don’t have to complete a specific form. Your written appeal must be submitted within one month of the decision letter / or our reconsideration letter, and the appeal must be signed by the person who is claiming the housing benefit.
If the Council Changes the Decision:
If, after we get your appeal or your request for a reconsideration, we decide that the original decision was wrong, and we change the decision to your advantage, then we will send you a new decision notice and the appeal process will end.
If the Council doesn’t change its decision:
If we don’t change the decision after reviewing it, your appeal, along with all the relevant paperwork, will be sent to the Tribunal Service to be listed by them for an oral or paper hearing in due course. A single judge, who is impartial and independent from the government, will review your case and make a decision based on the law and the facts.

For more details, visit the gov.uk website

If you think the Tribunal Service’s decision is wrong in law, you can appeal to the Tribunal Service for a hearing in the Upper Tribunal

Council Tax Support appeals

Requesting a Review:
If you would like us to review the decision made on your Council Tax Support, and before you make any appeal directly to the Valuation Tribunal, you must first request a review in writing to our office within one month of the date on the decision letter (not the date you contacted us).
You can send your request to:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Post: Revenues and Benefits, PO Box 11, Pershore, WR10 1PU

Appealing the Outcome:
If you’re not happy with our reply, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal, at any time. Some decisions (mainly administrative ones) can’t be appealed. We will let you know if the decision you’re disputing cannot be appealed.

The Valuation Tribunal will send your appeal onto us, and we will prepare a response with all the relevant information which will be sent to you and the Tribunal at the same time. This will then be listed by the Valuation Tribunal for an oral or paper hearing in due course.

If you have any further questions regarding appeals please contact us via our contact us page.