The Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999

Application for leave to appeal to a Commissioner from an appeal tribunal

58.—(1) An application for leave to appeal to a Commissioner from a decision of an appeal tribunal under section 12 or 13 shall—

(a)be made within the period of one month commencing on the date the applicant is sent a written statement of the reasons for the decision against which leave to appeal is sought; and

(b)have annexed to it a copy of that written statement of the reasons for the decision.

(2) Where an application for leave to appeal to a Commissioner is made by the Secretary of State, the clerk to an appeal tribunal shall, as soon as may be practicable, send a copy of the application to every other party to the proceedings.

(3) Any party to the proceedings who is sent a copy of an application for leave to appeal in accordance with paragraph (2) may make representations in writing within one month of the date the application is sent.

(4) A person determining an application for leave to appeal to a Commissioner, shall take into account any further representations received from the applicant before the determination is made, and shall record his decision in writing and send a copy to every party to the proceedings.

(5) Where there has been a failure to apply for leave to appeal within the period of time specified in paragraph (1)(a) but an application is made within one year of the last date for making an application within that period, a legally qualified panel member may, if for special reasons he thinks fit, accept and proceed to consider and determine the application.

(6) Where in any case it is impracticable, or it would be likely to cause undue delay for an application for leave to appeal against a decision of an appeal tribunal to be determined by the person who was the chairman, or in the case of an appeal tribunal which has only one member, the member, of that tribunal, the application shall be determined by a legally qualified panel member.