The Social Security Commissioners and the Child Support Commissioners are appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as specialist judges to determine cases on points of law from Appeals Service tribunals in social security benefits, child support, maintenance assessments, tax credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit and compensation recovery cases. They also decide appeals which have been referred to them under the Forfeiture Act.

They also decide appeals from the Pensions Appeal Tribunal relating to war pensions.

The Commissioners jurisdiction extends over Scotland, England and Wales. The Commissioners in Scotland are based in Edinburgh. There is a Chief Commissioner and there are other full time Commissioners who sit in London. There are also Deputy Commissioners who sit part time. There are separate Commissioners for Northern Ireland.

Most appeals are determined on paper without a hearing. However, parties may ask for a hearing and sometime the Commissioners direct a hearing even if one has not been requested.

The Commissioners are independent of the United Kingdom Government, the Scottish Executive, Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the Child Support Agency or Local Authorities and the Social Security and Child Support Appeals Tribunal who hear the initial appeals by claimants.