AH0401 - Written Procedures: General

Every office which receives appeals should have a written procedure for handling appeals and, where appropriate, a strategy for settling them, to supplement the SA manual and other guidance.

This procedure should be written locally either by, or with the approval of, the officer in charge. It should be reviewed annually.

It is not possible to dictate the procedures for any office since they must depend upon

• the number and type of cases dealt with
• staff resources
• known views of the local General Commissioners.

The appeals procedure should cover all kinds of appeals that the office deals with. The purpose of putting the procedures in writing is to

• see that appeals work is brought under proper management control
• satisfy external critics such as National Audit Office
• help and inform newcomers or deputies coming to the job for the first time.