About Scottish Tribunals

The Tribunals (Scotland) Act 2014 created a new, simplified statutory framework for tribunals in Scotland, bringing existing jurisdictions together and providing a structure for new ones. The Act created two new tribunals, the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland and the Upper Tribunal for Scotland.

The Lord President is the head of the Scottish Tribunals and has delegated various functions to the President of Scottish Tribunals, Lady Wise.

In Scotland there are currently three different types of tribunals:

• Scottish Tribunals that deal with devolved issues and have specific Scottish jurisdiction and structures are supported administratively by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, such as the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland and Lands Tribunal for Scotland
• Tribunals that deal with reserved issues, but have specific Scottish jurisdiction and structures, such as the Pensions Appeal Tribunal Scotland, are supported administratively by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• Tribunals that deal with reserved issues and have GB‐wide jurisdiction and structures, are not supported by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (a list of these Reserved Tribunals is below)

Upper Tribunal for Scotland

The Upper Tribunal hears appeals on decisions of the chambers of the First-tier Tribunal:

• Upper Tribunal for Scotland

First-tier Tribunal for Scotland

The First-tier Tribunal is organised into a series of chambers which may have specialist jurisdictions:

• General Regulatory Chamber
  • Charity appeals
  • Transport appeals
• Health and Education Chamber
  • Additional support needs (Needs to Learn)
• Housing and Property Chamber
• Local Taxation Chamber
• Social Security Chamber
• Tax Chamber

Tribunals administered by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service

The following Tribunals are administered by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service:

• Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland (MHTS)
• Pensions Appeals Tribunal
• Lands Tribunal for Scotland

Reserved Tribunals administered by HMCTS

The following reserved tribunals are administered by HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS):

• Immigration and Asylum Tribunal
• Social Entitlement (Social Security and Child Support Appeals)
• The Employment Tribunal in Scotland

Other courts

• Court of the Lord Lyon
• The Scottish Land Court

Tribunal locations

Edinburgh Tribunals Office

The following are located in the Edinburgh Tribunals Office:

• Pensions Appeal Tribunals Scotland
• General Regulatory Chamber
• Lands Tribunal for Scotland
• Tax Chamber

Edinburgh Tribunals Office

Glasgow Tribunals Centre

The following are located in the Glasgow Tribunals Centre:

• Upper Tribunal for Scotland
• Housing and Property Chamber
• Health and Education Chamber
• Social Security Chamber

Glasgow Tribunals Centre

Hamilton Tribunals Centre

The following are located in the Hamilton Tribunals Centre:

• Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland (MHTS)
• Local Taxation Chamber

Hamilton Tribunals Centre

Scottish Tribunals Conference

The most recent Tribunals Conference was held on 7 September 2021. For details of the report and to watch some of the speeches view the Scottish Tribunals Conference.