If, having made a claim for financial assistance, or an application for exemption, deferral or revocation of a mobilisation, you’re dissatisfied with the decision of the Adjudication Officer, you can apply to a Reserve Forces Appeal Tribunal (RFAT).
RFATs are independent of the Ministry of Defence. The membership of each tribunal comprises one legally-qualified chairperson and two lay members selected from a list held by the Tribunals Service, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, whose staff arrange the hearings in England & Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the arrangements are made by the staff of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal.
Is there a time limit?
Yes there is. Your appeal - which can be sent by fax, first class post or delivered in person - must normally reach the office of the Secretary of Tribunals (see address below) no more than 5 working days after you receive the Adjudication Officer's decision. If, for reasons outside your control, your appeal is likely to miss the deadline for submission, you must attach a written explanation for the delay to your paperwork.
What will happen?
You’ll be given a preliminary date, time and place for the hearing of the appeal, and you may be asked to give further information to supplement what you’ve provided already. A guidance leaflet, explaining more about what to expect on the day, will accompany the acknowledgement of your appeal.
For appeals in connection with applications for exemption, deferral or revocation of mobilisation, RFAT hearings will generally take place within 28 days of the date the Secretary of Tribunals receives the Notice of Appeal. A Reservist will not normally be deployed outside the UK before this time.
For cases in England, Wales and Scotland, the hearing, which is informal in nature, will normally be held at the office of your nearest Employment Tribunals Service. For RFAT cases in Northern Ireland, the hearing will take place in the Belfast office of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal.
Need more information?
You can find out more about the appeal process from the office of the Secretary of Tribunals at the address below:
Secretary of Tribunals
Reserve Forces Appeal Tribunals (RFAT)
Tribunals Service
Alexandra House
14-22 The Parsonage
MANCHESTER
M3 2JA
Telephone: 0161 833 6100
Fax: 0161 832 0249
E-mail: rfat@tribunals.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.reserveforcesappeal.tribunals.gov.uk