East Suffolk Council (25 023 023)
Category : Benefits and tax > Housing benefit and council tax benefit
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 21 May 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a council tax matter. This is because the is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.
The complaint
- Mrs X complains the Council took three times the amount she expected by direct debit for council tax without warning. She believes this was due to an overpayment but had no explanation. She says this caused her financial hardship.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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)).
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mrs X complained to the Council regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
- The Council replied it had reassessed Mrs X’s council tax support in February 2025. This had led to overpayments.
- The Council said it made an arrangement in November 2025 for Mrs X to pay the outstanding council tax for 2024/25 alongside the current year. However, Mrs X cancelled the direct debit. The Council sent a further arrangement over a shorter period, as it must be paid by the end of March 2026. Mrs X then set up a new direct debt but as this started later, it was over a shorter period. The current year instalment was for £20 per month in January 2026 and the previous year was for £49 payable in January. The Council said it notified Mrs X on 3 December 2025. Therefore, it said it had notified Mrs X, and it was not at fault.
- There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation. The Council explained the reason the instalments increased was due to Mrs X’s action in cancelling a direct debit and later and in setting up a new direct debit. The Council had notified Mrs X of the changed amounts.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman