By Eimear FlanaganA Stormont department has repaid more than £11,000 to a taxi driver after he successfully complained that he lost out on benefits due to poor advice.
Margaret Kelly said the taxi driver suffered "injustice" because he had been denied the opportunity of making "a fully informed decision" about how his Universal Credit application would affect his existing benefits, in this instance his working tax credit. The ombudsman's investigation concluded that the complainant had "a reasonable expectation that he would not be left worse off by following the advice given by the department's adviser".
"I am satisfied that had the complainant been fully informed, he would not have claimed UC and would not have lost out financially," she said. The Department for Communities said it "acknowledges the findings of NIPSO in respect of this complaint".
CommunitiesNI This was terribly poorly handled by Universal Credit and you would think that their advisers would have at the start of any conversation stated that any claim to UC, successful or not, ends legacy benefits.On another note I wonder how much taxi men declare as income for benefits?
CommunitiesNI 'A recording of the taxi driver's call was deleted by the department before it could be heard by the ombudsman.' Everyone involved in that decision should be sacked immediately.
CommunitiesNI Wow -
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