First–tier Tribunal

What is the First–tier Tribunal?

The First–tier Tribunal is a generic tribunal established by Parliament under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.

The First–tier Tribunal has jurisdiction over a range of appeals formerly heard by: the Social Security and Child Support Appeals Tribunal; the Pensions Appeals Tribunals (England and Wales); the Mental Health Review Tribunal; the Care Standards Tribunal; the Criminal Injuries Compensation Panel; the Asylum Support Tribunal; Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal; VAT and Duties Tribunals and the General and Special Commissioners; Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal; Estate Agents Appeals Panel; Charity Tribunal; Information Tribunal; Gambling Appeals Tribunal; Claims Management Services Tribunal; Immigration Services Tribunal; the Adjudication Panel for England and parts of the Transport Tribunal.

It is intended that the First-tier Tribunal will eventually exercise the jurisdictions exercised by most of the tribunal jurisdictions administered by central government.

What has changed?

• A major reorganisation of tribunals has taken place. Most tribunals have been combined into the First–tier Tribunal. The Upper Tribunal has been created to deal with appeals from, and enforcement of, decisions of the First-tier Tribunal.
• The Social Security and Child Support Commissioners, legal chairman and others who form the tribunals judiciary of the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal are all now judges, with new judges being appointed through the independent Judicial Appointments Commission.
• The opportunity provided by these changes has been used to reform and simplify the rules and procedures of the First–tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.

Important: Some of the rules are different from the rules that formerly applied to appeals being heard by individual tribunals. See summary of the most important changes above.

How does it work?

The First–tier Tribunal is currently divided into five chambers:

• General Regulatory Chamber
• Social Entitlement Chamber
• Health, Education and Social Care Chamber
• War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber; and
• Tax Chamber

The following list sets out which chamber deals with which appeals formerly heard by a separate tribunal:

The General Regulatory Chamber

• Charity
• Claims Management Services
• Consumer Credit
• Estate Agents
• Gambling Appeals
• Immigration Services
• Information Rights
• Local Government Standards in England; and
• Transport

Social Entitlement Chamber

• Asylum Support Tribunal; (now Asylum Support)
• Social Security and Child Support Appeals Tribunal (now Social Security and Child Support); and
• Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (now Criminal Injuries Compensation)

Health, Education and Social Care Chamber

• Care Standards;
• Mental Health
• Special Educational Needs & Disability; and
• Primary Health Lists

Tax Chamber

• Tax

War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber

• Pensions Appeal (England and Wales)