Tools and templates

Use this template to challenge the DWP's refusal to amend a claimant commitment to reduce work search and availability requirements to 30 hours per week when your client is responsible for a child aged 3-12 years, and to challenge any unlawful sanctions imposed as a result of inappropriate conditionality.

Use this template to challenge a local authority’s failure, when deciding your client's discretionary housing payment application, to take into account their disability or terminal illness, and/or adaptations done to their property to meet their disability or health needs, which would render requiring your client to move to a smaller property discriminatory on the grounds of their disability.

Use this template to challenge a local authority's refusal of crisis and resilience housing payment (formerly DHP) because your client's rent is paid in full from their universal credit (UC) by a managed payment to the landlord, but your client is subject to the benefit cap and is left with insufficient UC for their living costs.

Use this template to challenge a local authority’s failure, when deciding your client's discretionary housing payment application, to take into account their disability or terminal illness, and/or adaptations done to their property to meet their disability or health needs, which would render requiring your client to move to a smaller property discriminatory on the grounds of their disability.

Use this template to challenge a local authority's failure to consider a claimant's disability, upcoming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeal, and DWP and local authority guidance when deciding to refuse the claimant's housing payment (formerly DHP) application to cover the shortfall caused by the Universal Credit under-35 shared accommodation housing element rate. Don't use this letter before you have exhausted the local authority's dispute resolution process.

Use this template to challenge the DWP's decision to refuse ('close') your client's universal credit (UC) claim due to their failure to attend an ID interview or to provide ID evidence when DWP allowed less than one month to provide the evidence or rebook the appointment, and your client has not been provided with a written decision which advises them of their appeal rights or they can no longer access the decision via their online journal as they have reclaimed UC.

Use this template to challenge the DWP’s 'closure' of your client's universal credit (UC) claim because your client has an appeal pending/ongoing in respect of a previous claim / award even though there has been a change of circumstances since their previous claim / award.

Use this template to challenge DWP’s refusal of a new claim universal credit (UC) advance when your client is a survivor of domestic abuse who previously received UC as a couple with the perpetrator of the abuse, is treated as having made a new claim as a single claimant, and DWP has been informed that your client's ex-partner took the final couple payment of UC leaving your client with no money until the end of their first UC assessment period as a single claimant.

Use this template to challenge the DWP's refusal to reduce rent arrears deductions to less than 15% of the standard allowance.

Use this template to challenge the DWP's failure to make enquiries when your client has explained why they are unable to provide the evidence requested to prove their right to reside and that evidence would be available to the DWP on request from HMRC or the Home Office.

Use this template to challenge DWP's unreasonable delay in deciding your client's claim for universal credit (UC) when the DWP has already decided that your client satisfies the habitual residence test.

Use this tool to help you prepare a request for a mandatory reconsideration if the DWP has determined that you do not have limited capability for work or that you do not have limited capability for work and work-related activity.