Completing the appeal form

 

When can I start my appeal?

You can start making your appeal If you are in one of the situations described in When/What you can appeal and: 

  • It is less than two months from the date on the decision letter from your Local Authority
  • You have decided against Mediation, or Mediation did not work out

Download the relevant form

You need the right form to match your situation. If you are not sure which situation you are in, check here.

 

The forms you need for your appeal are available to download here.

 

Download and save the form on your computer. It’s useful to set up a folder with all your documents in to help you keep track.

 

Fill in the form

You can do this online.  Remember to keep saving what you have written.

 

Other documents

Make sure that you have gathered all the documents the Tribunal wants. In most cases this will include:

  • The Decision letter which came from the Local Authority which provides you with your right of appeal.
  • The Mediation Certificate
  • If you are appealing about what is in an EHC plan, send a copy of the EHC plan AND all the Appendices (listed under Section K of the EHC plan)

If you don’t have copies of the Appendices, make contact with the Local Authority and ask them to send copies. However, if you are close to the deadline for submitting your appeal we suggest you submit your appeal and put a note on the form to explain that you have requested copies of the Appendices from the Local Authority but have not yet received them.

  

Submit the form

This can be done online, or you can print the form out and post it.

 

Online is easier and quicker, but: 

  • Be sure to include a list of all the documents you are enclosing
  • If there are several documents, it can be helpful to attach them to separate emails.  Ensure that your child’s name and date of birth is on the subject heading in each email and then number the emails as, for example, 1 of 4 (or however many you are sending).
  • Copy yourself into all email correspondence with the Tribunal or the Local Authority so that you have a reminder of exactly what has been sent and when. 

If submitting your form by post, print out the form and send it together with copies of all the documents listed on the Checklist at the end of the Appeal Form.  We advise sending the package by either Recorded or Guaranteed Delivery so that you have a receipt of when your application was sent, and can track when it was received by the Tribunal.

 

How to Appeal