Eastbourne Borough Council (21 009 505)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 26-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision in 2020 that there was a recoverable overpayment of housing benefit. It was reasonable for Ms X to use her remedy of challenging the decision at the Social Security Tribunal. The Council has now reviewed and cancelled the overpayment.

Blackburn with Darwen Council (21 009 858)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 18-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council asked the complainant for unnecessary information for his housing benefit claim. This is because the Council has provided a fair response and there is not enough injustice to warrant an investigation.

London Borough of Bromley (21 009 479)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has wrongly calculated the complainant’s housing benefit since 2018. This is because there were appeal rights the complainant could have used, part of the complaint is late, and there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

Epping Forest District Council (21 008 947)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Nov-2021

Summary: We do not propose investigating Ms X’s housing benefit complaint. The reasons are in the assessment section below.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (21 008 971)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 15-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment which arose in 2019. This is because it is a late complaint, and the complainant could have used his appeal rights.

Hertsmere Borough Council (21 007 869)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 09-Nov-2021

Summary: Mr and Ms X complain about the way the Council has treated their housing benefit claims. We will not investigate this complaint because they appealed to a tribunal.

London Borough of Bexley (21 006 328)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 03-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about matters related to Miss X’s housing benefit and council tax discount. This is because it would be reasonable for Miss X to use her appeal rights to address the core decisions, and the ICO is best placed to consider a complaint about information handling. There is otherwise not enough evidence of fault by the Council or of it causing Miss X significant injustice, so the rest of the complaint does not warrant investigation.

Salford City Council (21 008 660)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 02-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council recovered a housing benefit overpayment when the complainant never received any housing benefit. This is because the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal and because it is a late complaint.

London Borough of Islington (21 008 680)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 01-Nov-2021

Summary: We have no jurisdiction to investigate a complaint about the actions of the Council in its role as a social landlord.

East Suffolk Council (21 008 408)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 27-Oct-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council handled the complainant’s benefit claims since 2016. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because part of the complaint is late.