The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has asked all local authorities to notify them of all first tier appeal tribunal decisions related to the spare room subsidy (bedroom tax) with a view to considering an appeal to the Upper Tribunal.
Usually local authorities (LAs) initiate appeals to the Upper Tribunal in Housing Benefit (HB) cases but the DWP may opt to join an appeal or in some cases will take appeals forward where LAs have chosen not to do this.
Appeals to the Upper Tribunal are important because tribunals may accept their interpretation and follow them as law. So far all successful appeals, such as those in Scotland, have been first tier tribunal decisions which are not binding in the same way.
For more information see HB U7/2013.