Housing benefit and council tax benefit

Recent statements in this category are shown below:

  • London Borough of Havering (19 008 338)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 06-Jan-2020

    Summary: Mr X complained the Council reduced his Housing Benefit and then refused on several occasions to pass his case to the Tribunal when he appealed. Mr X said this caused him and his family frustration and distress. The Council was at fault and has agreed to apologise to Mr X, make him a financial payment and review its procedures.

  • Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 005 565)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 16-Dec-2019

    Summary: Ms B complains the Council invoiced her for overpayment of housing benefit. Ms B says the Council has charged her for money it did not pay her and has not properly explained why. She says the Council took enforcement action and did not place the matter on hold after she complained. The Ombudsman finds fault in how the Council has responded to Ms B.

  • London Borough of Haringey (19 011 753)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Dec-2019

    Summary: The Ombudsman should not pursue this complaint about Miss B's housing benefit claim. This is because the complaint has been resolved.

  • Guildford Borough Council (18 018 833)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 13-Dec-2019

    Summary: Mr X complains the Council unreasonably delayed taking recovery action for a debt he owned. He complained there was a failure to respond to his correspondence properly. I found there was no fault by the Council.

  • London Borough of Southwark (19 008 239)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 06-Dec-2019

    Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council handled his housing benefit. The Council was at fault for poor communication about the housing benefit issues and a delay in reviewing one of the decisions. It will apologise and pay Mr X £150 for the time and trouble and inconvenience caused. The Council was not at fault for making multiple decisions for overlapping periods of time.

  • South Oxfordshire District Council (19 005 174)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 05-Dec-2019

    Summary: Miss X complained the Council wrongly made deductions from her housing benefit entitlement for a housing benefit overpayment when there was a formal agreement with creditors to pay her debts. There is no fault in the way the Council has sought to recover the debt from Miss X. If Miss X disputes the Council's interpretation of the law and guidance it is open to her to seek her own legal advice. The Ombudsman cannot make a finding on a point of law.

  • London Borough of Waltham Forest (19 003 117)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 29-Nov-2019

    Summary: Ms X complains about a debt of several thousand pounds the Council decided she owed in 2015. She says it was wrong to say she owed it and has not acted properly in its efforts to recover the debt since. The Ombudsman found the Council's decision it overpaid Ms X's housing benefit and council tax support happened too long ago for us to investigate now. And its general approach to recovering the debt from Ms X since January 2018 has been without obvious fault. However, there was fault in its actions since issuing its final complaint response to Ms X which caused her a personal injustice and it has agreed to remedy this.

  • London Borough of Hillingdon (19 006 627)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 28-Nov-2019

    Summary: There was fault in the Council's handling of Ms B's housing benefit claim which meant she did not receive the benefit to which she was entitled. The Council will apologise, make a payment to her and review its procedures

  • Northumberland County Council (19 003 333)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 27-Nov-2019

    Summary: Mr B complains the Council did not consider his individual circumstances when it withdrew his housing benefit and did not tell him about his right of appeal. Mr B says this caused him financial hardship. The Ombudsman has not found fault with the Council. Mr B could have appealed to the Social Entitlement Chamber.

  • London Borough of Enfield (18 008 431)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 27-Nov-2019

    Summary: Ms X complained the Council incorrectly calculated her housing benefit. She said this caused her stress and financial loss. The Council was at fault for failing to pass Ms X's request for appeal to the benefits tribunal. It has now agreed to do so.