Catalogue description Records of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals

Details of BF
Reference: BF
Title: Records of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals
Description:

Records of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals relating to the administration of pensions claims and appeals from ex-servicemen, widows and dependants.

Correspondence relating to the operation of the tribunals will be found in BF 3. Case files are in BF 2 and BF 4, with registers of cases in BF 1.

For series created for regularly archived websites, please see the separate Websites Division.
Date: 1920-2003
Related material:

Other correspondence relating to the operation of the tribunals will be found in

and the Ministry of Pensions, Division within PIN

Appeals to the High Court against a decision of a tribunal on a point of law are in J 96

For other records relating to war pensions matters, see PIN 14

Subseries within LCO 2
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Pensions Appeal Tribunals, 1919-
Physical description: 5 series
Access conditions: Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

from 1998 The Court Service
Custodial history: Records transferred to the Public Record Office from the Lord Chancellors Department, from 1974 to 1998.
Administrative / biographical background:

Arising from claims for pensions from ex-servicemen or their widows or dependants a Pensions Appeal Tribunal was set up in July 1917 which operated in an advisory capacity as a branch of the Ministry of Pensions. In November 1919 independent tribunals were established under the War Pensions (Administrative Provisions) Act 1919 to consider and decide appeals from claimants against decisions as to entitlement made by the Ministry of Pensions. By the War Pensions Act 1921 the jurisdiction of the tribunals was extended to the consideration of appeals against decisions of the Ministry of Pensions concerning final award and assessment. With the outbreak of the Second World War and the extension of the conflict to the civilian population provision was made under the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Acts 1943 and 1949 for consideration of appeals concerning the award of war pensions arising from death or injury as a result of relevant service whether in the armed services, mercantile marine, civil defence or as a civilian.

The appointment and regulation of Pensions Appeal Tribunals in England and Wales is vested in the Lord Chancellor. The Tribunals are of two kinds:

  • Entitlement Tribunals constituted under the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 ss1-4 (and under the War Pensions (Administrative Provisions) Act 1919 s8, in the case of appeals arising out of the 1914-1918 War) to hear appeals against the rejection of claims to war pensions made in respect of ex-members of the Services, the Mercantile Marine and the Civil Defence Volunteers, and of civilians. Each Tribunal consists of a legal chairperson, a medical member and a lay member whose category of war service and status correspond with those of the appellant.
  • Assessment Tribunals constituted under the Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 s5, for the purpose of hearing appeals against assessment of the degree of disability made by the Department of Health and Social Security and its predecessors in respect of the classes of persons described above. Each tribunal consists of two medical members and a lay member.

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