Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a late council tax bill. This is because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

The complaint

1. The complainant, Mr X, says he was distressed to receive an unexpectedly large council tax bill which was hard to pay and had an impact on him as a disabled person. Mr X wants an apology and compensation.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide:

• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes the complaint correspondence and a letter the Council sent to Mr X offering a payment arrangement. I also considered our Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. In late 2023 Mr X received a council tax bill which asked for payment of £1647 by the end of March. This was initially in two payments of £823 and then three payments of £549.
5. Mr X contacted the Council. An officer explained that his entitlement to council tax reduction (CTR) ended in the summer due to an increase in his wife’s wages. The officer said the council tax payments could be extended beyond March if the Council issued a court summons; in this case Mr X would incur costs. But, in February, the Council told Mr X he could stop his direct debit, make manual payments, and any outstanding council tax could be spread over the next financial year, without the Council serving a summons.
6. Mr X complained. In response, the Council said there were problems following a new IT system in 2022, which included data from CTR claimants not being transferred. To deal with this, the Council suppressed bills while it manually checked each claim. During 2024 Mrs X’s wages increased which meant the family was no longer entitled to CTR. As a result, the Council sent a large bill, when it had checked Mr X’s claim. The Council said it had offered discretionary support and the option to spread the payments over the next financial year. The Council also said it is reasonable to expect Mr X would have been aware his council tax would increase given the increase in his wife’s earnings.
7. I can understand it would be distressing to receive a large bill, with a limited time to pay. However, while I acknowledge the impact Mr X says this had on him, I will not start an investigation because there is insufficient evidence of injustice. This is because the Council offered longer to pay, without incurring costs, and signposted Mr X to discretionary support. It also explained what had happened and the reason for the increased council tax liability. The Council has not served any recovery notices and says Mr X paid the bill. Further, Mr X has not incurred any costs and has not been asked to pay more council tax than the amount that would have been due without a delay.
8. Mr X is critical of the officer he spoke to, but I have listened to the call and there is nothing to suggest we need to start an investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman