Example
C applied for help with food and utilities after repaying debts and being unable to access their bank account. They had recently fled domestic violence.
The council awarded £62 for three days until their next wage was expected. C requested a review, explaining they could not access funds due to issues linked to domestic violence and were working with agencies to open a new account. The first-tier decision maker revised the award to £209 for 17 days. C then requested an independent review, stating the amount was still insufficient.
We reviewed the file and spoke with C. Using Universal Credit (UC) essentials guarantee rates and considering utility meter debt, we recalculated the award and changed the council’s decision. We also provided feedback on their decision letters.
Recommendations
- We instructed the council to make an additional award of £177.18 to cover food and utilities until C’s next Adult Disability Payment payment date, based on the recommended daily rate in the guidance.
Feedback
- The decision letters should show the award calculation.
- Awards should be calculated using the rates in the UC essentials guarantee.
We have asked the council to provide us with confirmation that the award was made within one working day.