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How to appeal a decision about your social welfare claim
From Social Welfare Appeals Office
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. It aims to provide an independent, accessible, and fair appeals service with regard to entitlement to social welfare payments and to deliver that service in a prompt and courteous manner.
Appeals Officers are independent in their decision-making functions.
If you made an application for any of the schemes on this list, and have received a decision from Department of Social Protection that you think is incorrect, you can make an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
You cannot appeal the schemes on this list .
To make an appeal, please download an appeals form (below) called an SWAO1 form. You will need to save it on your device in order to be able to successfully fill it out. It can then be submitted directly to the Appeals Office by clicking “Send form by email”.
Alternatively you can click “print form to post” and post it to:
Social Welfare Appeals Office, D'Olier House, D'Olier Street , Dublin , D02 XY31.
Contact us if you need an alternative version of this form.
Phone number: 0818 747434 / 01 6732800
Please note:
An appeal will only be accepted on a SWAO1 form.
An appeal will only be accepted on a SWAO1 form.
Social Welfare Appeals Office: SWAO1 - Appeals Form
Edition: June 2023
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You should state your name, your address and your Personal Public Service (PPS) number and enclose:
- a copy of the decision you received from the scheme area that you are appealing
- the reasons why you think the department's decision is incorrect
- any relevant evidence that you think may support your appeal
Important: If you want any information or copies of documents that the department used in reaching the decision, contact the relevant scheme area of the Department of Social Protection.
Appeals must be submitted within 21 days of the date of the letter giving the decision you wish to appeal. An appeal made after that period may be accepted with the approval of the Chief Appeals Officer.
The Chief Appeals Officer will have regard to the causes and reasons for the delay as well as the length of time that has gone by since the notification of the decision of the Deciding Officer/Designated Person and the notification of appeal.
Please note if you are separately requesting a review of the decision directly with the scheme area, you do not need to wait for the outcome of that review to request an appeal as they are separate requests.
If you made an application for any of the schemes on below list, you can make an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
- Death Benefit
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Contributory)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Adoptive Benefit
- Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds
- Deserted Wife's Allowance
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
- Farm Assist
- Homemakers
- Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self Employed
- Jobseeker’s TransitionalPayment
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Jobseeker's Benefit
- Maternity Benefit
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Pandemic Unemployment Payment(for decisions dating from 05/08/20 onwards)
- Parent’s Benefit
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Paternity Benefit
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance (including Rent Supplement)
- Treatment Benefits
- Blind Pension
- Carer’s Support Grant
- Carer's Allowance
- Carer’s Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Illness Benefit
- Enhanced Illness benefit for Covid 19
- Incapacity Supplement
- Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
- Back-to-Work Schemes
- Credits (Award of)
- Free Travel Scheme
- Household Benefits
- Fuel Allowance
- Household Budgeting
- Overpayment (recovery under Code of Practice)
- Part-time Job Incentive
- PRSI Refunds
- School Meals
- Back to Education Allowance
- Community Welfare Services
- VTOS (Department of Education)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance Exceptional Needs and Urgent Needs Payments.
Please Note
Please note: While Supplementary Welfare Allowance including Rent Supplement can be appealed, any “once off” payments such as an Exceptional Needs Payment, Urgent Needs Payment, Allowances in Kind or any other “once off” payment cannot be appealed. Should you wish to have any decision on these reviewed, you should request a review by a "Review Officer" of the Department of Social Protection.
Please note: While Supplementary Welfare Allowance including Rent Supplement can be appealed, any “once off” payments such as an Exceptional Needs Payment, Urgent Needs Payment, Allowances in Kind or any other “once off” payment cannot be appealed. Should you wish to have any decision on these reviewed, you should request a review by a "Review Officer" of the Department of Social Protection.