Case Ref: 24 020 825 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

• The Council also agreed to remind officers to refer cases to its appeals team if disputed decisions are not changed following a reconsideration request

Case Ref: 24 016 565 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to ensure housing applicants are able to provide their reasons if they are unable to provide all the documents the Council requires them to submit. The Council will then consider this information before deciding whether to close their housing application as incomplete due to missing documents.

Case Ref: 24 014 814 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• •Remind those dealing with school transport cases of the need to ensure parents/ carers are given the opportunity to attend appeal panel hearings should they wish to.
• •Advise those dealing with transport appeals of the need to ensure the panel is quorate and of the need to keep clear records of the panel decision and reasons.

Case Ref: 24 014 372 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• •Provides further guidance to its staff about the information to provide in closure letters. It must ensure the letters specify exactly what information the applicant needs to provide. Where an applicant has provided financial records but more evidence is needed, it should not just list the financial documents applicants need to provide; it should explain why the evidence they have already provided does not meet the Council’s requirements.
• •Reviews its procedures to ensure it assesses applications which have been made in accordance with the allocation scheme. Unless the Council changes its allocation scheme, it should not consider applications to be incomplete when the applicant has provided the documents listed in paragraph 2.2.3 of the Council’s housing allocation scheme.
• •Resolves the technical issue which results in blank attachments being sent to housing applicants.

Case Ref: 24 013 261 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review the documents required for new applicants and existing tenants, ensuring that applicants are not asked to provide unnecessary evidence.
• The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure it assesses applications which have been made in accordance with the allocation scheme. Unless the Council changes its allocation scheme, it will not consider applications to be incomplete when the applicant has provided the documents listed in paragraph 2.2.3 of its housing allocation scheme.
• The Council has agreed to consider amending its procedures to give applicants additional time to submit missing documents before their application is closed, to prevent unnecessary delays. If the Council continues to close applications without giving applicants an opportunity to submit any missing documents, it will amend the application form to include a clear warning about the consequences of not submitting all required evidence.

Case Ref: 24 013 203 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will remind officers they must consider whether the Council should arrange alternative provision for a child not in full-time education whenever they receive significant new information. They must keep a record of that consideration as without it, the Ombudsman may not be persuaded the Council properly considered whether it owes the child the duty to arrange alternative provision.
• The Council will clarify to officers that the Department for Education guidance on alternative education provision says councils should arrange provision when it is clear a child will be out of school on health grounds for 15 days, consecutively or cumulatively, over a school year.

Case Ref: 24 013 188 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will remind relevant staff that it must make enquiries when someone contacts it seeking accommodation and gives ‘reason to believe’ they ‘may be’ homeless or threatened with homelessness. The person does not have to complete a specific form or approach a particular department of the Council.

Case Ref: 24 013 075 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• Provide training and/or guidance to its staff to ensure they are following the requirements of the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Code of Guidance when dealing with homelessness applications. It should include the criteria for accepting subsequent homelessness applications, the requirement to issue decision letters, the timescales for the relief and prevention duties and the need to consider whether it is reasonable for the applicant to continue to occupy their accommodation.
• •Implement a monitoring system to ensure that cases are being handled within reasonable timeframes and that key deadlines (such as the decision on whether the relief duty applies) are met.

Case Ref: 24 012 924 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure it checks which documents a housing applicant has already provided and does not base its decision on only the documents submitted with the latest application. It will also remind all officers that a thorough check of all documents previously provided should be undertaken.
• The Council has agreed to consider amending its procedures to give housing applicants additional time to submit missing documents before their application is closed, to prevent unnecessary delays. If it decides not to amend its procedures, it will amend the application form to include a clear warning about the consequences of not submitting all required evidence.

Case Ref: 24 012 812 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council has agreed to review the documents required for new housing applicants, joint tenants, existing tenants and household members, ensuring that applicants are not asked to provide unnecessary evidence. It will also ensure that staff training is provided so that officers are aware of the different evidence requirements for each applicant type.
• The Council has agreed to provide information to housing applicants on its website and its application form about the evidence it will accept as proof of address if they do not have a council tax bill or utility bill in their name.
• The Council has agreed to review its procedures to ensure it assesses applications which have been made in accordance with the allocation scheme. Unless the Council changes its allocation scheme, it should not consider applications to be incomplete when a transfer applicant has not provided evidence of their eligibility or when a member of the household has not provided documents.
• The Council has agreed to consider amending its procedures to give applicants additional time to submit missing documents before closing their applications, to prevent unnecessary delays. If the Council continues to close applications without giving applicants an opportunity to submit any missing documents, it will amend the application form to include a clear warning about the consequences of not submitting all required evidence.