New benefits and taxation decisions

benefits and taxation

A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions

Please note: our decisions are published six weeks after they are issued to councils, care providers and the person who has made the complaint. The cases below reflect the caselaw and guidance available at the time of issue and the individual circumstances of each case.


Summary: We do not propose to investigate this complaint about Miss X’s council tax. At our invitation, the Council has agreed a suitable remedy. It will make an affordable repayment arrangement for arrears that arose due to inadequate explanations from the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has wrongly calculated a woman’s entitlement to housing benefit. This is because the woman has a right of appeal to a statutory tribunal about the Council’s decision in her case.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint the Council has mishandled their council tax account which is causing hardship due to the recovery of the council tax debt at £15 per week. The Council has agreed to reassess the current financial position and debt recovery. Mr and Mrs X complain late about earlier events since 2009. They could reasonably have used rights of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal if they disagreed with the Council’s decisions on council tax benefit.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s administration of Mrs X’s council tax accounts. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

Summary: There was no fault in how the Council responded to Ms B’s enquiries about access to the household support fund. It was reasonable for it to direct Ms B to its complaints process if she wanted to pursue this.

Summary: Ms B complained that the Council incorrectly used an attachment of earnings to recover council tax arrears directly from her wages when she was making payments in accordance with an agreed arrangement. It also delayed in responding to her complaint. We found fault with the Council’s actions. It has agreed to pay Ms B £250 and improve the operation of its complaints procedure.

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council has unreasonably refused her Council tax support for her heating bills. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to refuse her COVID grant application. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

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