Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Ms X’s housing benefit. This is because the Council has taken appropriate action and there is nothing further we would add or recommend.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of her housing benefit claim. She says the Council delayed paying for six weeks and then did not pay enough. She also says it implied she was dishonest. This caused her distress and inconvenience. She seeks a refund of an overpayment.

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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 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).

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B)).

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

4. Ms X claimed housing benefit in January 2025. The Council started paying housing benefit in mid February. However, the amount fluctuated and then stopped in April while the Council checked and revised the calculation. The Council paid a backdated amount in late May. It paid the correct benefit from June.
5. Ms X said the Council did not take account of information that she gave it and did not contact her to check when it was uncertain. She said this caused her anxiety and disruption.
6. In response to Ms X’s complaint the Council explained its actions and accepted it could have handled the claim better. It apologised for this and confirmed it had written off an overpayment of £53.
7. The Council has apologised, and it wrote off an overpayment. I do not consider the Ombudsman should start an investigation. The Council has taken appropriate action. Any remaining injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. We could not add anything to the Council’s investigation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the Council has taken suitable action in response to the complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman