Example
C applied for a self-isolation support grant via the Scottish Welfare Fund administered by their local council. C had been required to self-isolate via the Test and Protect service. As C worked in retail they were unable to work from home and therefore their income was reduced.
The council refused the application initially as C did not respond to their attempts to contact them. At first tier review C responded and provided further information. However as the council assessed that C did not meet the low income threshold, they did not change their decision.
C submitted an independent review request. We requested the council's file and contacted the applicant for further information. During our review we carried out a low income assessment of C's income, as per the guidance, and assessed that the criteria was met. C also met all other eligibility criteria, and provided the required evidence as per section 11.21 of the guidance. We changed the council's decision and instructed them to award C £500. This was because the council did not assess C’s income against all options detailed within the guidance. Namely, they did not assess whether their household income was below what they would receive had they been claiming Universal Credit plus an additional 25%. We also provided feedback to the council around their written communication, their internal recording and that they had not followed the guidance.