My appeal for pip is going through court

Lucysam25

Hi  i have cp spine-bifda also & arthritis of the knees & hip  but going forva new hip replacement what if my appeal comes back & giving a date for my apeal & i am in hospital what would happen if am still in hospital a bit confused 

Matilda

Write to tribunal clerk and give all dates that you expect to be unavailable to attend a hearing.

BenefitsTrainingCo

Lucysam25,

I would do as Matilda suggests. If you do get a hearing date through which you cannot attend, then contact the tribunal as soon as possible and ask for a postponement. I'd do this in writing and follow up with a phone call to make sure they have accepted the postponement request. Make it clear you don't want the tribunal to go ahead without you.

If you feel more able to do things after the hip replacement, you need to let the DWP know. Remember that the tribunal can only look at how things were on the date of the decision you are appealing against.

Will

Matilda

Tribunals service do say in their acknowledgement of your SSCS1 form to notify them in advance of any dates you won't be available to attend a hearing - so they know not to schedule a date when you won't be available.  I sent them the dates I knew at the time and added more as more dates became unavailable.  You don't have to give reasons why you won't be available.