Investigation reports

We investigated a complaint from a member of the public who believed she was treated unfairly by the Department of Health.

A business owner said he was unfairly denied a Covid business support grant.  We found that the man’s application was assessed properly, but criticised the Department for the Economy for producing guidance that was not clear.

Our investigation led to the Department for Communities repaying over £11,000 to a man after we found he was given poor advice which caused him to lose his existing benefits.

We concluded that a 25% cut to a complainant’s rates bill was appropriate financial redress for the problems she experienced, but asked the Land and Property Service to put in new procedures to help them trace ratepayers more effectively.

Our investigation examined a man's claims that the Department for Communities had failed to consider his ‘difficulties’ when considering his claim for the Personal Independence Payment benefit, and that it lacked understanding of his condition.

The Ombudsman has found that an RQIA inspection and subsequent report was completed according to relevant standards, but that it should have taken further steps to provide the registered manager of a care home with a copy of the draft report so that she could comment on its factual accuracy.

The Driver & Vehicle Agency failed to manage a complainant's medical assessment in a timely manner, thereby increasing the risk that his licence would expire while his renewal was being processed. The Ombudsman also found that the DVA failed to communicate with the Occupational Health Service to ensure the application was treated as a priority.

An Ombudsman investigation has found that a complainant should have been given the chance to comment on the factual accuracy of a report by the Charity Commission prior to its publication.  However, the complaint that the report was biased and written in ‘bad faith’ was not upheld.

An Ombudsman’s report has criticised the Northern Ireland Environment Agency for not keeping proper records about its decision firstly to commission, and then ultimately not proceed with, an independent engineer’s report relating to effluent treatment structures at a location on the River Faughan at Drumahoe.

The Ombudsman has recommended that the Department for Communities should review its operation of the appointee procedure following an investigation into a complaint.