Police injury award appeal deadline calculator

Day 0 is the day the report reaches you. The notice deadline is 28 calendar days later: a report received on Thursday 1 October 2026 gives a deadline of Thursday 29 October 2026.

The regulations say "within 28 days". We know of no rule that moves a deadline falling on a weekend or bank holiday, so the calculator flags those dates and suggests the working day before. Aim for the authority to have your notice well before the last day, and keep proof that it was sent and received.

The grounds clock starts when the authority receives your notice, not when the 28 days end. Sending your notice early brings the grounds deadline forward too. Enter the date the authority received it for your real grounds date.

• Injury awards: the SMP's answers on whether you are disabled, whether it is permanent, whether a duty injury caused it, and the degree of disablement (regulation 31).
• Injury pension reviews under regulation 37: the SMP's report on the degree of disablement is appealed the same way.
• 2015 scheme ill-health retirement and reviews of lower or upper tier pensions (Schedule 1 paragraph 2).
• 1987 and 2006 scheme ill-health decisions: the same 28 days for notice and a further 28 for grounds (1987 regulation H2(2A) and (2B), added in 2003; 2006 regulation 72), with the same board timetable.

The medical appeal goes to a board of medical referees, often called the Police Medical Appeal Board: at least three doctors, one a specialist in a relevant condition. It is not the Police Appeals Tribunal, which hears misconduct cases.

• At least 2 months' notice of the hearing, unless both sides agree to less.
• At least 35 days before: written evidence and statements to the board and the other side, and whether you will be represented.
• At least 7 days before: any written reply to the other side's evidence.
• Less than 22 days before the hearing (weekends and public holidays count): cancelling or postponing can mean a costs contribution. If the authority cancels late, it must pay your reasonable expenses.

Each side normally pays its own costs and the authority pays the board's fees. If the board finds against you and reports the appeal was frivolous or vexatious, the authority may ask you to contribute up to the board's fees. See the appeals guide for the detail.

Crown Court. For non-medical decisions, such as the authority refusing to admit a claim or to pay a larger award (regulation 34). The regulations state no time limit and we have not verified the court rule: it may be as short as 21 days and may run from the date of the decision, so check now with your Federation representative or a solicitor. The calculator shows a 21-day planning date only, counted from the day you received the decision.

Judicial review. For decisions that are unlawful, unfair or irrational. The claim must be filed promptly and in any event within 3 months of when the grounds first arose (Civil Procedure Rules 54.5). That is usually the date of the decision, which can be earlier than the day it reached you; the calculator counts from the day you received it, so count from the decision date if that is earlier. Waiting until near the 3 months can itself be too late. Take legal advice now.

• The time limit for a Crown Court appeal under regulation 34.
• Whether "within 28 days" means the authority must receive your notice by that day or you must send it. Act early so it does not matter.
• Current national guidance: the Home Office medical appeal guidance was withdrawn in 2022 with no replacement we could find.

This calculator covers England and Wales. Scotland (Police (Injury Benefit) (Scotland) Regulations 2007) also allows 28 days plus 28 for grounds, but non-medical appeals go to the sheriff. In Northern Ireland medical appeals go to an independent medical referee. If you serve in Scotland or Northern Ireland, check the dates with the Scottish Police Federation or the Police Federation for Northern Ireland.