Medway Council (19 003 248)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 29-Jul-2019

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council has failed to take into account his evidence of expenses and income for his council tax and housing benefit applications. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he had a right of appeal to a tribunal.

Worthing Borough Council (18 017 571)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 25-Jul-2019

Summary: Miss B complains the Council deducted money from her earnings without notice. She says this left her in financial hardship and the Council did not properly consider her circumstances. The Ombudsman finds fault in how the Council managed the recovery of housing benefit overpayments from Miss B. This caused injustice to Miss B and we recommend the Council apologise, pay Miss B for distress and time and trouble and remind its officers of guidance on use of direct earnings attachments.

Bolsover District Council (19 003 062)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 24-Jul-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to deal properly with his complaint that a housing benefit officer made threats when suggesting the landlord should reduce the tenants’ rent. There is no injustice to Mr X or the housing provider he represents. It would not be a good use of limited public resources to investigate.

London Borough of Lambeth (19 003 410)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 24-Jul-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman does not propose to investigate Miss X’s complaint about an alleged overpayment of benefits. This is because it is reasonable for Miss X to use the appeal rights available to her.

Milton Keynes Council (18 004 072)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 22-Jul-2019

Summary: The Council made a serious error when it calculated a Housing Benefit overpayment and issued a notice requiring Mrs X to repay more than £20,000. It did not carry out appropriate checks. That was fault. The Council apologised and rectified the error one month later. It has agreed to make a payment to Mrs X to recognise her distress and anxiety.

London Borough of Ealing (19 003 489)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Jul-2019

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council referring a housing benefit overpayment to enforcement agents. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it was received outside the normal 12-month period and it was reasonable for him to appeal the housing benefit overpayment to an independent tribunal in 2015.

Nottingham City Council (18 002 623)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Jul-2019

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s handling of her housing benefit payments. The Council was at fault. It took three months to process her change of circumstances between November 2017 and February 2018. The Council was not at fault for how it cancelled Miss X’s housing benefit in June 2018. I recommend the Council pays Miss X £150 to remedy the avoidable financial hardship, stress, uncertainty and time and trouble caused by the Council’s fault.

Cornwall Council (19 003 076)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 18-Jul-2019

Summary: Ms A complains about the way the Council dealt with her housing benefit claim. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because she appealed to a tribunal.

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council (19 003 319)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 16-Jul-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s recovery of an alleged overpayment of housing benefit. This is because if Miss X disagrees with the Council’s decision it is reasonable for her to appeal to the tribunal.

Luton Borough Council (19 002 332)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 08-Jul-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council creating an overpayment on her council tax and housing benefit accounts. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because it was reasonable for her to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal and the independent benefits tribunal against the Council’s decisions.