Example
C, a welfare rights officer for the applicant (A), asked us to review the council’s decision to refuse A’s request for a washing machine made as part of their community care grant application.
A applied for a sofa, living room carpet, hall carpet, single bed and base, a set of three pots, bedroom carpet, an electric cooker, a fridge freezer, a washing machine and a single quilt and pillow. A was moving into a tenancy after a period of homelessness.
The council awarded a single bed and mattress, an electric cooker, and a fridge freezer. They refused the remaining items having assessed that they did not meet the high most compelling priority rating. C asked the council to reconsider their decision, but the council upheld their original decision.
We received the council’s file and spoke to C for further information. C explained that A, a former asylum seeker, had been living in Home Office accommodation prior to being offered a tenancy. A suffered from poor mental health but was not receiving any health related benefits.
We agreed with the council's priority assessment relating to the washing machine, and agreed it did not meet the relevant priority for an award. While we accepted that A had a pressing need for this item, we assessed that they would not be at immediate risk, or be unable to maintain the tenancy without it. We did not uphold the review request and did not change the council’s decision.
We provided the council with feedback about missed timescales and that their decision letters did not meet the requirements of the guidance.