Example
Mr C applied for a community care grant in order to obtain clothing and bedding. The applicant had spent the past year sofa surfing and was in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance. He had explained that he had not bought clothing in a number of years, and that all he owned had at one time been worn for work purposes and had become damaged and splattered with paint.
The council assessed that the application did not meet the qualifying criteria for an award. They also noted that clothing and bedding is excluded from the SWF on the basis of being an on-going feature of expenditure. They upheld this decision at first tier.
Mr C asked SPSO for an independent review. Having considered the council’s file and spoken with the applicant, we agreed that clothing and bedding are excluded items in Mr C’s circumstances, as per Annex A, point 15 of the SWF guidance, and therefore did not consider the application beyond the first stage of the decision making process. As the council had continued to assess the application beyond this stage we provided feedback regarding their decision making process, but agreed with the overall outcome. The applicant was signposted to alternative sourced of assistance.