Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council underpaid Mr Y’s education bursary by £222. This is because the claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained on behalf of Mr Y. Mrs X said the Council failed to pay Mr Y a full bursary payment for a term. Mrs X said the Council underpaid Mr Y by £222.
2. Mrs X said the matter caused her frustration and Mr Y uncertainty.
3. Mrs X wants the Council to repay Mr Y the £222.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. We may investigate complaints made on behalf of someone else if they have given their consent. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26A(1), 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (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.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint or the person they are representing has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant or the person they are representing has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
9. Although I acknowledge Mrs X’s concern that the Council underpaid Mr Y by £222, this is not a significant enough injustice to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman. Consequently, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the alleged injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman