Example
Ms C, a representative acting on behalf of Ms A, requested a review of the council’s decision not to award a crisis grant for travel expenses to attend a funeral. Ms A was in receipt of a low income and could not afford the necessary train fare.
The council refused to award on the basis that travel expenses are excluded from the SWF. Ms C’s review request stated that the fact of the funeral itself, and the applicant’s need to attend was in itself a crisis. The council’s review upheld the initial decision not to award, noting that travel costs to a funeral could only potentially be award in connection with a wider crisis or situation of exceptional pressure.
Ms C applied to SPSO for an independent review. While recognising the applicant’s understandable desire to attend, we noted that the guidance (section 6.5) states that “expenses for travel to a family funeral or for visits to prison or hospital do not qualify for a grant in their own right.” As the applicant was not in a situation of disaster or emergency which placed her health and wellbeing at risk we considered that the travel costs applied for were excluded and did not instruct the council to make an award. We provided feedback that their decision letters were not personalised and did not contain sufficient reasons for the decision.