Benefit Claims and Decisions Tracker

Who this is for

Every claim, letter and deadline in one record. Claims are logged when you apply and evidence as it is sent; each decision gets the date printed on the letter and the challenge deadline the letter gives.

People claiming benefits, credits, grants or other state support, and the family members, carers and advisers who help them keep track of the paperwork.

What this helps you track

• Each claim with the date, how it was made and the reference number
• Evidence and documents sent, how they went and the proof of sending
• Each decision with the date printed on the letter and the outcome
• The deadline to challenge, copied from the decision letter itself
• Requests to look again, appeals, results and the next review date

How to use it

1. Write the claimant, anyone helping and the date you last updated the record at the top.
2. Log each claim on the day you make it, with the reference you are given and the office or line you dealt with.
3. Log each piece of evidence as it goes, with how it was sent and any proof, such as a receipt or upload confirmation.
4. When a decision letter arrives, copy the date printed on it and the deadline it gives for asking for a change, then work through the checklist.
5. Record any challenge or appeal, its result and the next review date; keep the letters in date order with this sheet.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How long do I have to challenge a decision?

It depends on the benefit and the country, and the decision letter normally says. Copy the deadline from the letter into the challenge-by column; if the letter is unclear, ask the office that sent it or an advice service.

Why record the date on the letter and not the day it arrived?

Time limits are often counted from the date of the decision rather than the day you open the envelope, so the printed date is the one to keep. If a letter arrived very late, note that in the result column.

What counts as proof of sending?

Anything that shows what you sent and when: a post office receipt, an upload or email confirmation, a reference given over the phone, or a stamped copy. Write it in the proof column and keep the original.

Is the online version private?

The browser version saves only in your own browser on the device you use. Nothing is sent anywhere and there is no account, so use a device you trust.