Step 1: Mandatory Reconsideration
You must request an MR before you can appeal. You have one month from the date on the decision letter to do so, and a written request must arrive by then. If you are late, you can still ask up to 13 months after the decision date, but you must explain why and DWP can refuse. Ask DWP to reconsider the decision in writing (letter or the GOV.UK request form), by phone (keeping a note of the call and following it up in writing) or, for Universal Credit only, via your UC journal. Explain which part of the decision you disagree with and why. Include any new evidence you have. DWP reviews the decision and issues an MR notice. There is no fixed time limit for DWP: in January 2026 the median time to clear a PIP mandatory reconsideration was 79 days.
What to include in your MR request
Refer to specific activities or criteria in the decision. For PIP, point to specific daily living or mobility descriptors you think were scored incorrectly. For UC, point to the specific elements or deductions you dispute. Attach medical letters, assessor reports, prescription lists or other evidence that supports your case. A targeted, specific MR is more likely to succeed than a general objection.
If the MR fails: appealing to a tribunal
If the MR does not change the decision, you receive an MR notice. You then have one month from the date that notice was sent to appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber), run by HM Courts & Tribunals Service. The appeal is free and goes to an independent panel, not DWP. Appeal online through GOV.UK or by post on form SSCS1, and include your MR notice. A late appeal must explain the delay and cannot be more than 12 months late. You can represent yourself or ask an adviser to help.
The tribunal hearing
Tribunal hearings are usually in person but can be held by video. A panel of two or three people (typically including a legally qualified judge and a medical member for PIP/ESA cases) hears both sides. You can bring a representative or supporter. The panel asks questions and reviews evidence. Decisions are usually given on the day or shortly after. In January to March 2026, 67% of PIP appeals decided at tribunal went the claimant's way (Ministry of Justice tribunal statistics).
Getting help with your appeal
Citizens Advice, welfare rights units and many charities (including MIND, Scope and the MS Society for relevant conditions) offer free help with MRs and appeals. A welfare rights adviser can review your decision letter, help prepare your submission and sometimes attend the tribunal with you. Getting help significantly improves outcomes. Do not go through a complex appeal without at least seeking initial advice.
Keeping your benefit payments during an appeal
Challenging a decision does not by itself restart or protect a payment. For UC, the rest of your award carries on while you challenge a decision about one part of it, but the disputed amount is not paid unless the decision is changed. For PIP, if a renewal or review ends or reduces your award, you are paid on the new decision while the MR and any appeal go ahead; if you win, the difference is normally backdated. If you also claim means-tested benefits, ask an adviser whether anything else is affected. Check your specific situation when you submit your MR.