Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax reduction because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains that she was not told by the Council that she might be entitled to Council tax reduction as a single person with young children.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word fault to refer to these. We consider whether there was fault in the way an organisation made its decision. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)
3. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone has a right of appeal, reference or review to a tribunal about the same matter. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to use this right. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
4. The Valuation Tribunal deals with appeals against decisions on council tax liability and council tax support or reduction.

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by the complainant.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

7. Ms X says that she has been single (with young children) since March 2021. She says she only found out that she was entitled to a single occupancy discount for Council tax in December 2024. She says that the Council only backdated the discount by three months from January 2025.
8. The Council’s website provides information about claiming Council tax discounts. I do not consider that any failure to personally notify Ms X of her entitlement is fault.
9. The Council considered the request and provided what a backdated sum. I do not consider that this is fault by the Council. Further, any dispute about the Council’s decision not to backdate further could be appealed to a Valuation Tribunal. The tribunal is an independent body which can determine any dispute about such decisions. I see no reason why an appeal could not be made in this case and so the complaint is out of jurisdiction.

Back to top

Final decision

10. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is no evidence of fault and there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman