The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Housing Benefit payments. This is because the Council have already responded to Mr X and it is unlikely that we could add to the Council’s response.
The complaint
Mr X complains that the Council stopped his Housing Benefit payments without informing him. Mr X was unaware that his Housing Benefit had stopped, until he received debt summons. Mr X states that receiving the summons adversely impacted his mental and physical health, he would like financial compensation for this impact.
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: we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X received Housing Benefit whilst living at property A. Mr X moved to property B in November 2023 because repairs were needed at Property A. Mr X’s Housing Association informed the Council that he had moved out of property A in November 2023.
The Council stopped Mr X’s Housing Benefit payments for property A in January 2024. The Council sent a letter via post to property A to confirm the payments had stopped.
In July 2024, Mr X contacted the Council regarding the cancellation of his Housing Benefit because he had received a letter from a debt recovery agent for overdue rent. The Council reinstated Housing Benefit payments for Mr X and backdated Housing Benefit payments to the Housing Association.
The Council’s complaint response apologised that the letter confirming cancellation of Housing Benefit was sent to Property A. It noted that staff will be asked to make further investigations and ensure that claim contact details are updated.
The Council offered Mr X a Council Tax Credit of £100 as a gesture of good will for inconvenience experienced with the Housing Benefit Claim.
I will not start an investigation because it is unlikely that we would be able to add to the investigation carried out by the Council. The Council have made an apology, said it has put measures in place to ensure claim contact details are updated in future and offered Mr X a £100 Council Tax Credit.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is unlikely that we would be able to add to the Council’s response.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman