Craven District Council (20 001 522)

Report Upheld Covid-19 25-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr C and Mr D complained about a discretionary grant scheme, set up by the Government and administered by local authorities to support businesses impacted by COVID-19. They say the Council did not award either of their businesses enough money to help cope with the loss of income they suffered because of the pandemic.

Craven District Council (20 001 603)

Report Upheld Covid-19 25-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr C and Mr D complained about a discretionary grant scheme, set up by the Government and administered by local authorities to support businesses impacted by COVID-19. They say the Council did not award either of their businesses enough money to help cope with the loss of income they suffered because of the pandemic.

Leicester City Council (20 004 919)

Statement Not upheld Council tax 25-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council refused to refund money he paid to enforcement agents with respect to an alleged council tax debt. I have stopped investigating this complaint. The Council offered to refund the money and so no further action by the Ombudsman is needed.

Thanet District Council (20 010 438)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 25-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about his social housing landlord’s actions in response to a fire at his home in 2019. We cannot investigate his complaint about a social housing landlord because it is outside our jurisdiction. We will not exercise discretion to consider the reasonableness of the temporary accommodation offered because it was more than 12 months ago, and he could have asked for a review and a court appeal at the time.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (20 012 338)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 24-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint that the Council failed to deal properly with her housing benefit claim and homelessness in 2018. Ms X complains late and outside the permitted period of 12 months. She could reasonably have used her right of appeal, to the social security tribunal, against the Council’s benefit decisions.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (20 007 262)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 24-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s refusal of a COVID-19 small business grant. The Council was not at fault.

Derby City Council (20 012 061)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 24-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse his application for a grant for small businesses affected by COVID-19. This is because there is no evidence of fault in the way the Council made its decision.

London Borough of Ealing (20 004 695)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 23-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council issued her with an invoice for overpayment of housing benefit, nearly two years after she stopped receiving housing benefit. Mrs X disputed the overpayment amount of £3266 which was accrued between 2013 and 2016. The Council was at fault for the delay in issuing the final invoice. It has already apologised for this which is a suitable remedy for the distress it caused. Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s general administration of the overpayments between 2013 and 2016 is late and it was reasonable for Mrs X to have used her right of appeal to the tribunal at the time.

London Borough of Redbridge (20 011 199)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 23-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to pay housing benefit to the complainant who is a landlord. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (20 011 371)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 23-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to award a Discretionary Housing Payment to the complainant. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.