Families are facing homelessness because of errors in the way local authorities calculate housing benefit entitlements.
Source: Ombudsman warns of the ‘human cost’ of housing benefit errors : Welfare Weekly
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The article states ‘If someone disagrees with a council’s decision on a claim, after the council has carried out a review of its decision, the council must pass the case to the independent tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber of the First-Tier Tribunal).
So well and good, but how many people actually contact the Council to disagree, for there will be some that do not, so should not all cases where a claimant is refused housing benefit be referred.
Also, what happens to a council where their decisions are proved wrong, do they learn from the process, or just carry on as though they were right on future cases.
They should change their practices, but who checks to see if they do?
Question, Can you really trust your Council?
They should be beyond reproach but this article and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman proves that Councils do make mistakes, so they should be challenged and made to comply with the due process and this process should be simple to understand, which maybe it is not, thereby causing Councils to make mistakes.
So, for goodness sake, please complain, do not be scared of Local Councils and this goes for any organisation, all have Complaints Procedures and they are there to be used, not just for show, do not be put off. However, do be polite, no matter how annoyed you are, be be assertive, if necessary.
You are not complaining about a person, but the system, which in many instances is not ‘fit for purpose’.
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