Worcester City Council (25 013 246)
Category : Housing > Allocations
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 10 Feb 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to increase Mrs X’s priority housing banding. This is because an investigation would not be likely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
The complaint
- Mrs X complained the Council would not agree to increase her priority housing banding despite receiving medical evidence showing one of her children has special needs.
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 Mrs X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mrs X complained the Council will not increase her priority housing banding. She has supplied information from her GP stating it would be beneficial for her child to have a separate bedroom as they are currently awaiting assessment for special needs.
- The Council advised it has placed Mrs X and her family in the appropriate banding for their size and need. The Council did not uphold Mrs X’s complaint.
- Mrs X wants us to find the Council at fault. The evidence shows the Council has considered Mrs X’s evidence and decided it does not merit increasing Mrs X’s priority banding. There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council made this decision. The Ombudsman cannot question the outcome of a decision the Council has made if it has made it in line with the correct process. An investigation would therefore be unlikely to result in finding the Council at fault.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman