Islington Council has been ordered to pay £2,700 in compensation to a homeless woman who endured a 10-month wait for housing assistance, causing her to miss crucial surgery for a chronic health condition.
Council Failures Highlighted by Ombudsman
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) strongly criticised the council for its handling of the case, identifying significant delays and poor communication. The woman, referred to as Miss X, initially approached the council in July 2024 after becoming homeless and relying on sofa-surfing while managing a chronic illness that compromised her immune system.
In September 2024, the council acknowledged a 'relief duty' to assist her in finding private rented accommodation and requested additional medical information from her GP. Despite Miss X informing the council that she received Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for her condition and needed surgery with a lengthy recovery, the council took over 10 months to determine its long-term 'main housing duty' towards her.
Delays and Missed Opportunities
After 82 days, in December 2024, the council ended its relief duty without addressing priority need or confirming further support. Miss X repeatedly contacted the council but faced slow and inadequate responses. Her formal complaint in January 2025 took 66 working days for a response—more than four times the 15-day target. The council also missed its target for responding to her escalated complaint, taking 39 days.
In March 2025, Miss X reminded the council of her PIP status and explained that her homelessness forced her to stop treatments and prevented surgery. The council upheld her complaint in April and promised a decision by May 13, but it was not until June 11 that it confirmed a main housing duty, and she was placed in temporary accommodation in July.
Ombudsman's Findings
The Ombudsman found that the council had sufficient medical information by October 2024 to make its decision much earlier. The watchdog also criticised poor record-keeping and communication, noting that the council ignored multiple requests for support and missed target timescales. The council attributed the communication breakdown to a caseworker leaving, resulting in incomplete records.
The Ombudsman ordered the council to apologise and pay £2,700—equivalent to £300 per month for the period Miss X was without suitable accommodation—instead of the council's initial financial offer. No service improvements were recommended as the council had already agreed to implement changes.
Council's Response
An Islington Council spokesperson said: "We accept the findings of the Ombudsman report and sincerely apologise for the failings identified in this case and for the distress this caused. We have already taken steps to address the issues, including new procedures to improve timeliness, strengthening oversight of communication standards, and ensuring earlier assessments of priority need. We have also increased capacity within the service through targeted recruitment."
