"A person applied to a public authority for financial assistance for their business. The application was unsuccessful and the person requested a review of the decision. The public authority declined the request for review, saying the person did not provide evidence proving their eligibility for the financial assistance. The person complained to the Ombudsman on the basis that they met the eligibility criteria but were not given the opportunity to provide evidence before the review was refused.
Following the Ombudsman’s investigation, the public authority agreed to conduct a full review of its original decision after giving the person an opportunity to provide further information about their eligibility. It also amended its policies to clarify the information that is required from people requesting a review. The public authority subsequently approved the person’s application."