Example
C asked for an independent review of the council's decision. They had applied for a crisis grant as they had claimed Universal Credit (UC) after their employment ended. However, their first payment was only £106 due to earnings.
The council declined the initial application because C did not provide bank statements to verify their crisis situation. C requested a first tier review of the decision and sent the requested information to the council. The council changed their original decision and awarded £151.
We reviewed the council's case file and spoke with C for further information. They explained that the award was insufficient for their needs as they have shared care arrangements for their child. They further advised that utility costs have increased, and their supplier was deducting 25p for every £1 they topped up towards debt. We deemed that the council had not taken into account the needs of the applicant in line with section 7.24 of the guidance and had instead relied on the suggested rate which is only a guide. We assessed that £151 was not sufficient to cover their living costs for a 23-day period. We changed the council's decision and awarded an additional £175.27. We the council with feedback that their decision letters did not provide sufficient information for the applicant to understand the reasons for the decision.