Housing benefit and council tax benefit

Recent statements in this category are shown below:

  • Birmingham City Council (18 017 592)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 14-Oct-2019

    Summary: In dealing with a Housing Benefit claim the Council made many significant mistakes. In particular, it failed to consider relevant information, delayed, and failed properly to deal with an appeal. It caused injustice to the complainant in unnecessary distress, time and trouble. To put this right the Council will reassess the claim for the time the complainant was not employed and pay her £600 for the injustice it caused her.

  • Salford City Council (19 003 439)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 09-Oct-2019

    Summary: Ms B complained that the Council paid housing benefit to her tenant in error and then refused to refund the money. The Council has now paid Ms B so the complaint is resolved.

  • King's Lynn & West Norfolk Council (19 006 880)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 08-Oct-2019

    Summary: Mr X complained there were delays in the Council paying his housing benefit. Mr X says his housing benefit is now being paid and he no longer wishes to pursue his complaint. The Ombudsman has discontinued the investigation into Mr X's complaint.

  • Cherwell District Council (19 001 846)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 07-Oct-2019

    Summary: There was fault in the Council's handling of the recovery of a housing benefit overpayment. However, it will now offer the complainant a fresh appeal right to the Tribunal, which is a suitable remedy. The Ombudsman has therefore completed his investigation.

  • Torridge District Council (18 019 192)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 04-Oct-2019

    Summary: Mrs J complains about the Council suspending her housing benefit claim and then paying it at a reduced rate. She complains it took three months to get the matter resolved. She had to give the Council information it already had. The Ombudsman does not uphold the complaint.

  • Birmingham City Council (18 012 331)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 01-Oct-2019

    Summary: Ms X complains the Council mishandled her housing benefit claim leading to rent arrears. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council. The Council has agreed a remedy.

  • London Borough of Lambeth (17 013 708)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 17-Sep-2019

    Summary: The complainant says the Council failed to properly consider and refer her appeal against a housing benefit decision to the tribunal. The complainant says the delay in dealing with the matter has caused hardship and inconvenience. The Council says it set out its reasons for its decision and invited the complainant to send in a formal appeal, but it did not receive one and so did not refer the matter to the tribunal. The Ombudsman finds the Council acted with fault and recommends the Council decides if it can reinstate housing benefit or refer the complainant's appeal to the Tribunal.

  • Newark & Sherwood District Council (19 000 327)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 05-Sep-2019

    Summary: Mr X complains that the Council has made errors in his housing benefit entitlement. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because these was a right of appeal to a tribunal. Part of the complaint is also out of time.

  • London Borough of Bexley (18 016 230)

    Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 19-Aug-2019

    Summary: Mr X complains that the Council paid housing benefit directly to his tenant after it agreed not to do this, and then gave him incorrect email addresses to raise the issue. He says he lost £3500 in unpaid rent and has spent time and trouble chasing the Council to address the issue. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for giving Mr X incorrect email addresses. This fault caused Mr X injustice. The Council has apologised to Mr X and undertaken staff training. The Ombudsman is satisfied that this is a suitable remedy for the injustice caused by the fault. The Ombudsman does not uphold the part of Mr X's complaint about housing benefit payments to his tenant. This is because we have found no evidence of fault.

  • London Borough of Waltham Forest (19 000 938)

    Statement Not upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 15-Aug-2019

    Summary: Ms B complains about the way the Council has dealt with her claims for housing benefit and council tax support. She says it has asked for unreasonable amounts of information and suspended her benefit without good cause. We cannot find fault with Council's actions.