Islington Council pays £2,850 for 19-month housing delay
A man with severe mobility issues waited over a year for rehousing due to council delays.
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Islington Council has paid £2,850 to a resident after a 19-month delay in processing his homelessness application. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council guilty of injustice, criticising prolonged waits for rehousing.
The resident, identified only as Mr X, has severe mobility issues and struggled to climb the stairs of his previous flat. The council initially stated this did not make him a priority for rehousing, a decision later overturned on appeal. However, the review process took over four months, exceeding the statutory limit. Subsequently, the council took an additional two months to assign a new housing officer to his case. It then took a further 10 months for Islington Council to formally accept a 'main housing duty' towards Mr X, by which time more than 18 months had passed since his initial request for a case review.
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An error by a housing officer meant Mr X was not placed in temporary accommodation for another four months. Upon moving into a ground-floor temporary flat, the council reduced his medical priority points because he no longer faced stair-related difficulties. This deduction did not account for other health issues he experienced, as reported by MyLondon.
The Ombudsman stated that Mr X likely spent 'significantly longer than he should have in unsuitable accommodation'. While permanent housing was offered in May 2026, the Ombudsman noted it was 'impossible to say' what the outcome would have been if the delays had not occurred. The council's initial offer of £1,900 was deemed insufficient by the Ombudsman, who calculated compensation based on £150 per month of delay.
A spokesperson for Islington Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We sincerely apologise for the failings identified in this case and for the distress this caused to the individual involved. We recognise the impact this had, and we are glad that suitable permanent accommodation has now been found."
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The council has stated that steps have been taken to address the issues, including the introduction of new procedures to improve timeliness, strengthened oversight of communication standards, and increased service capacity through targeted recruitment to better manage demand and improve resilience.
Questions this report answers
+How much compensation did Islington Council pay?
Islington Council paid £2,850 to a resident as compensation. This payment was ordered by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman due to significant delays in rehousing the individual.
+Why was the resident waiting for rehousing?
The resident, Mr X, has severe mobility issues and was categorised as legally homeless due to difficulties with stairs in his previous flat. He experienced a 19-month delay in his homelessness application being fully processed and suitable accommodation being found.
+What did the Ombudsman find?
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found Islington Council guilty of injustice. The watchdog criticised the council for delays in reviewing the case, assigning officers, and accepting its main housing duty, which resulted in the resident spending longer than necessary in unsuitable accommodation.
+What is the council doing about the failings?
Islington Council has apologised for the distress caused by the failings. The council stated it has introduced new procedures to improve timeliness, strengthened oversight of communication standards, and increased capacity within its housing service.
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