Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has not given the complainant a Discretionary Housing Payment. The complainant is not entitled to such a payment because he has no housing rental liability.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I refer to here as Mr B, has complained he has not received a Discretionary Housing Payment from the Council to help him meet his housing costs.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We may decide not to start an investigation if, for example, we believe it is unlikely we would find fault. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered what Mr B said in his complaint and background information provided by the Council. Mr B commented on a draft before I made this decision.

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What I found

4. Discretionary Housing Payment is a benefit which a council can provide to people who receive either housing benefit or Universal Credit for housing rental liability.
5. Mr B does not pay rent for his housing and so is not entitled to either housing benefit or Universal Credit for housing rental liability. For this reason, the Council cannot make him a Discretionary Housing Payment.

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Final decision

6. I have decided we will not investigate this complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman