We continue to face significant workload pressures at this time which are affecting our ability to progress our casework at the pace we would want to.
Details
There remains a backlog of new appeals waiting to be validated and started. For a number of customer service, operational and resource reasons we have taken the decision to prioritise our Householder, Advert and Minor Commercial Appeal Services by starting these appeals ahead of other casework at this time. With the exception of a limited number of specialist cases that require bespoke procedural administration, all other casework will be dealt with in order of date of receipt.
We will endeavour to programme Hearings and Inquiry events as swiftly as possible after starting appeals, however there will inevitably be delays due to workload and resource pressures. We continue to work with stakeholders to choose and facilitate the most appropriate type of event, with virtual events being the preferred option unless there are clear reasons for in-person events to be arranged.
We would ask you to please wait to contact us until the expiration of 20 weeks after receiving an initial acknowledgement, if enquiring about an appeal.
During this time, we are working hard to ensure our customers can remain assured of the quality of our work and doing all we can to address the casework backlog to allow us to return to normal timeframes. We thank you for your patience while we strive to improve our service delivery.