Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council handling of Ms X’s council tax. This is because the Council has already taken suitable action. Further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X says the Council has not responded to her emails about a single person discount and council tax support. She says it has then taken recovery action adding summons costs and employing enforcement agents. This caused Ms X stress and anxiety.

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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 or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• it would be reasonable for the person to ask for a council review or appeal; (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B)).

3. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Ms X complained to the Council in April 2025 regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
6. The Council replied in July 2025 there was a gap in Ms X’s council tax support in 2024. It had written to her advising her universal credit had stopped. It asked her for income evidence, but she did not reply. It said it would reconsider its decision if she provided the information and reasons for the delay. It said it would not remove the summons and liability order costs.
7. In its final response in the Council repeated it would reconsider its council tax support decision if she provided information it asked for. While it considered its recovery action was correct, it noted it delayed replying to Ms X’s correspondence from April 2025. It apologised and said it should have placed a hold on her account. This led to it issuing a summons and obtaining a liability order, and added costs. The Council said it had now recalled the accounts for 2024/25 and 2025/26 from its enforcement agent and removed the associated costs. It offered a long term payment arrangement for the arrears.
8. We will not investigate because:
• There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigation regarding the Council’s council tax support decision. The Council asked Ms X to provide information regarding the gap in her claim so that it could reconsider this.
• It is reasonable to have expected Ms X to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal regarding the council tax support decision if she disagreed with it.
• The Council has taken suitable action in view of its delays in responding to Ms X’s contact from April 2025.
• Further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the Council has taken suitable action and further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman