Overview
This complaint concerns dissatisfaction with the handling of a complaint about a decision to refuse an application for payment under the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) two steps of the investigation process were carried out by the same Council employee (not upheld);
- (b) the Council failed to provide Mr C with details of the changes in legislation that affected his application (not upheld);
- (c) the Council failed to address Mr C's complaint that the Disability Living Allowance should not be taken into account in determining the application (upheld); and
- (d) the Council failed to provide Mr C with the correct information about their complaints procedure (upheld).
Redress and Recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that Fife Council apologise personally to Mr C for the failings identified in this report.
Fife Council accepts the recommendations and will act on them accordingly.