Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council managed Miss X’s Discretionary Housing Payment applications and her request for council tax hardship relief. This is because it is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate it now. Of the remaining element, there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council did not properly assess or issue accessible written decisions for Discretionary Housing Payment applications in 2023, 2024 and 2025. She also said the Council did not properly assess her request for council tax hardship relief in 2025.
2. She said the Council caused her ongoing harm. She wants the Council to issue clear written decisions for all outstanding and disputed Discretionary Housing Applications and hardship relief requests.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
5. 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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. We will not investigate this complaint. Miss X became aware of the issues in 2023 and 2024. We expect a person to complain to us within 12 months of being aware of a matter and Miss X did not complain to us until 2026. Therefore, the complaint is late, and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to consider it now.
9. Miss X said the Council did not properly consider or issue a decision on her council tax hardship relief request.
10. We will not investigate this complaint. In its complaint response the Council said it responded to Miss X’s request to advise she needed to apply for a discretionary housing support payment initially. It confirmed how to make the application and also provided a means form for Miss X to complete. It confirmed it had not received a response. It also said the vulnerability team would be in contact with Miss X to organise a payment plan. Therefore, there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate it now. Of the remaining element, there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman