New benefits and taxation decisions

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.

London Borough of Barnet (24 004 902)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council delayed issuing a council tax refund. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault and injustice.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (24 005 424)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Mr X’s business rates account. This is because an investigation will not usefully add to that already undertaken by the Council or lead to a different outcome.

Gloucester City Council (24 006 285)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council charging Mr X for council tax liability back to 2023 when he inherited a property and the exemption expired. It was reasonable for Mr X to challenge the liability for the property by appealing to the Valuation Tribunal.

King's Lynn & West Norfolk Council (24 007 292)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about business rates because the matter is subject to court proceedings.

Tendring District Council (24 008 708)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax support as the matter is out of time and there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

North Yorkshire Council (24 008 782)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax as there is a right of appeal to a tribunal. Part of the complaint relates to Universal Credit which is out of our jurisdiction.

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (24 008 790)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing benefit entitlement because there was a right of appeal to a tribunal. Part of the complaint has been remedied by the Council.

London Borough of Havering (23 018 649)

Summary: Miss B complained that the Council was preventing her from paying her council tax, because it would not provide a method of payment which did not require a bank account. We have found some fault. The Council has agreed to consider whether Miss B is entitled to a payment card for exceptional reasons and add some information to its website about this alternative.

Redcar & Cleveland Council (24 009 132)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax as the matter has been remedied and part is out of time and there was a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Sunderland City Council (24 008 267)

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to apply for an Attachment of Earnings Order to take part of Mr X’s salary directly from his employer. This is because the Council has been to court so we are prohibited from investigating.

High Peak Borough Council (24 008 272)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax liability. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. It is reasonable to expect council tax liability to be appealed to the specialist tribunal that decides liability.

London Borough of Barnet (24 001 035)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council managed the complainant’s council tax arrears. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and insufficient evidence of injustice.