We select candidates on merit. That means we’re looking for people who can bring valuable skills, experience and insight to the role.
You don’t need legal qualifications to apply for a non-legal tribunal role. Instead, you use your professional or personal experience to help others on the tribunal panel understand the issues in a case.
For example, your background might be in:
- healthcare and disability support
- surveying or valuation
- land drainage or farming
Your role alongside other members is central to making decisions and delivering justice.
How to know if a role is right for you
A non-legal tribunal role could be right for you if you:
- have a good eye for detail
- take in information quickly
- communicate clearly, in general and about your area of expertise
- manage your time and workload well
- contribute towards thoughtful, evidence-based decisions
- work well with others
We will test these skills and abilities during the selection process using the relevant framework published on the information page.
Find out more about the selection process.
You don’t need decades of experience, but you should have some expertise in your area of work. Check the eligibility criteria on the vacancy page and be ready to give clear examples of how you meet them.
Skills and experience
You can find out more about some of the different member roles and the types of skills and abilities you’ll need below:
Tribunal members with substantial experience in transport operations and its law and practice would sit in appeals from the Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors (fit and proper person appeals).
Tribunal members can also sit in appeals from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if they have experience and knowledge of information rights.
More about the First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber)
Fee-paid Valuer Chairs and Valuer Members are Chartered Surveyors who consider evidence and apply the law relating to disputes over property and land.
Fee-paid Professional Members have substantial experience in relation to housing or housing conditions and/or in matters relating to landlord and tenant relationships who use their specialist knowledge and expertise in hearings.
Salaried Regional Valuers are Chartered Surveyors who chair Tribunals and hold case management and primary hearings in relation to property and valuation disputes.
More about the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)
Service Members have substantial experience of service in His Majesty’s Armed Forces and participate by providing specific expertise in service matters both during the hearing itself and in the subsequent decision-making process.
More about the First-tier Tribunal (War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation)
Tribunal members with substantial experience in transport operations and its law and practice sit in appeals from decisions of Traffic Commissioners and decisions of the Transport Regulation Unit in Northern Ireland.
Tribunal members with substantial experience of educational, child care, health or social care matters apply their specialist knowledge and provide information about professional issues to the Tribunal.
More about the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber)
Panel Members for the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales have current knowledge and practical experience of working with children with special educational needs and disabilities and contribute to the work of this small, independent tribunal, making decisions on some of the most vulnerable young people.
Land Owner Lay Members of the Agricultural Land Tribunal for Wales are experienced in land management in Wales and use their skills and experience of rural affairs in Wales to participate in decisions about applications to the Tribunal.
More about the Welsh Tribunals
Skills and abilities assessment frameworks
As well as the specialist skills listed on this page, all candidates for non-legal roles are assessed against skills and competencies frameworks. These are changing from October 2025. Find out what the framework changes mean for you.