Payment scheme for former British child migrants: appeal process
Guide to the process of making an appeal, as part of the payment scheme for former British child migrants.
Applications for the payment scheme for former British child migrants are being processed by the Child Migrants Trust.
If a decision has been made on your case according to the criteria, and you feel that the decision was incorrect, you can appeal to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
This guide contains information on the appeals process, including:
- how to make an appeal
- what information to include in your appeal
- how your appeal will be processed
Making an appeal
If you want to appeal, you should contact DHSC within 3 months from the date on the rejection letter.
Appeals may be considered after 3 months, but only if a good reason is given for not informing DHSC at an earlier stage.
DHSC will aim to reach a decision on any appeal within one month of receiving your letter or email.
An appeal can be made using the appeals form.
Supporting information for your appeal
In your email or letter, you must include your reason for making the appeal.
You should provide:
- a completed appeals form
- name and contact details
- details of the decision taken, on your eligibility or application
- date of the application, and reasons given
- copies of any document notifying you of the decision - and the reason you were seen as ineligible
- the grounds of your appeal
It is not necessary to provide any extra information, but if there is any additional evidence, you can provide it.
Processing your appeal
Your case will be reviewed by a senior official from DHSC, who is independent of the decision making process on applications.
The only grounds for an appeal is where you feel that it was incorrect to decide that you were ineligible for a payment under the scheme criteria.
The official reviewing your appeal will consider if the decision to reject your application was reasonable, based on the evidence that you provided.
The official may need further information from you, in order to come to a final decision. If this is the case, DHSC will write to you and make you aware of this.
DHSC will also write to you if there is a delay in processing your appeal.
Decision on the appeal
If the appeal is successful, the original decision will be overturned and the application will be approved.
The application will then be processed as soon as possible, and payment will be made.
Closing the appeal
If the appeal is unsuccessful, in most cases it is not possible to submit a second appeal relating to the same application.
However, if there is new evidence that has not previously been considered as part of the application or appeal, you may request a second appeal.