Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about poor communication and missed payments from the Council to Mrs X, regarding her son’s homelessness application. This is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains she was unable to contact her son’s social worker for two months after he made his homelessness application.
2. She complains the Council failed to give her payments as promised for continuing to accommodate him.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

4. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by Mrs X and the Council.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. Mrs X complained about the matters set out above in paragraphs 1 and 2.
8. In the complaint response the Council apologised for the lack of response from the social worker. It upheld the complaints and said it would ensure payments were made.
9. This is a proportionate remedy for the distress caused to Mrs X. It is also in line with our Guidance on Remedies. An investigation would not achieve more for Mrs X.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman