Example
C applied for a community care grant for a double bed base and two pairs of bedroom curtains. They said that these items would help with the airflow in their home, which in turn would assist in treating their mould problem.
The council said that C's circumstances did not match the qualifying criteria for a grant and declined the application.
We reviewed the council's file and spoke with C's representative. The issues C was experiencing with mould in their home, included having several repairs carried out, and a negative impact on C's respiratory health. We assessed that C was facing exceptional pressure and therefore qualified for a grant. We changed the council’s decision and instructed them to make an award.
Recommendations
- We instructed the council to award a double bed base and two pairs of bedroom curtains to improve the ventilation and airflow in C's home as these items met high priority.
Feedback for the council
- Problems with accommodation are listed as an example of exceptional pressure at section 8.16 of the guidance, and this should have been considered as part of their assessment of the qualifying criteria.
We asked the council to provide us with confirmation that the award was made within one week.