London Borough of Croydon (25 001 487)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 08-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to award him a discretionary housing payment. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation by the Ombudsman.

London Borough of Barnet (25 030 735)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 07-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment because there is a right of appeal to a tribunal and there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

West Berkshire Council (25 023 494)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 03-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay recovering a housing benefit overpayment. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.

Slough Borough Council (25 030 655)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 02-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing benefit because the matter has been appealed to a tribunal.

London Borough of Islington (25 031 669)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 02-Jun-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint that he has been incorrectly held liable for an overpayment of housing benefit. This is because Mr X has appealed to the specialist tribunal about the same matter.

West Berkshire Council (25 017 846)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 02-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Discretionary Housing Payment because we are unlikely to add to the Council’s response and an investigation would unlikely achieve anything further for Mr Y.

Ipswich Borough Council (25 022 498)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 31-May-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council Tax liability. It was reasonable for Mr X to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal which is the proper authority to decide council tax liability.

London Borough of Ealing (25 023 114)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 26-May-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s recovery of a housing benefit overpayment. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s decision to apply a direct earnings attachment to recover the overpayment. The Council has remedied any significant injustice through its complaints process. The outstanding injustice is therefore not significant enough to justify us investigating. We also cannot recommend the Council to take disciplinary action towards its staff.

East Suffolk Council (25 023 023)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Housing benefit and council tax benefit 21-May-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a council tax matter. This is because the is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Milton Keynes Council (25 011 308)

Statement Upheld Housing benefit and council tax benefit 20-May-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about how the Council handled his application for Housing Benefit and Discretionary Housing Payment. We find no fault in how the Council considered capital, corrected payments, responded to his reasonable adjustment request, or handled his complaint. However, we do find fault in delays, failure to notify him when his claim was suspended, and poor communication which caused him distress, uncertainty, and time and trouble. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mr X, complete an outstanding review of the October 2024 earnings, and take action to improve its services.