Small claims - Gift card from council

klaw123

my local council (Aberdeen) sent gift cards for local businesses to all those receiving council tax reduction/ benefit. The value was £125. 
The letter said to 'Activate' within 3 months (no set date) 
The first letter (informing me of the scheme/my eligibility) was sent on the 12th Feb 2023 and the 2nd (with activation instructions and informing me of the 3 months to activate) was sent on the 17th Feb. I received both soon after the stated dates. 
This weekend (over easter break) I went to activate the card as I was ready to use but the portal was closed. I then found out that they announced via twitter a deadline of 31st March. This is NOT on either letter. 
Called the council and they said as 'most people' activated there wasn't anything they could do, and as they 'intended' the 31st of March to be the deadline they were sticking with it, despite their delay (letters dated by them as Feb) in sending the cards and information, and only ever stating the 31st of March on social media (and not in the comms sent to me). 
It seems to me that any other business would be bound to honour the 3 months starting from the date on the letter, not 42 days before the letter (imagine being sent an invoice with a 30 day deadline but the company 'intended' 10 days earlier? Bizarre!) 
Anyway, in short, Is this worth a 'small claims' ? Does it make a difference in Scotland?
Is a gift card the same as if it was cash? 
Card value would be worth £125.  

klaw123

on researching, i've found this is the scottish small claims equiv - scot courts simple-procedure 
£20 process fee but yet to work out if gift card counts as cash 

HillStreetBlues

The trouble is you haven't lost anything, you just didn't get what others have got

I would be submitting a official complaint  to the council trying to get the money that way.

lincroft1710

Was the gift card part of the CTR payment or literally a "gift"?

Nearlyold

Was there any legal/statutory/ contractual basis which compelled the Council to send you these Gift Cards or were they simply a "Goodwill" gesture?

tightauldgit

What was the gift card actually FOR? And was there any kind of contract associated with it?

If it was just a little extra treat from the council then i suspect you have no basis for a legal claim.  

Alderbank

The Scottish Government gave Aberdeen Council some money to use as it saw fit to relieve hardship and boost local economy as we recover from the pandemic.
Aberdeen decided to use most of it (about £2million) to give a £125 Scotland loves Local - Aberdeen Gift Card to households who are either surviving on benefits or in low paid work.
I assume the English Government does similar?
To reduce risk of fraud, eligible households were posted an activation code followed separately a few days later by the Gift Card. The card number had to be activated on a website using the code.

I think the timings slipped a little or were delayed by strikes and Christmas post. The first letter said,'Activation Process. You should receive your first letter from 30 November onwards. This will be your activation code... You will have 3 months to activate your gift card. Once activated, your gift card will be valid for a period of 12 months.'

The activation website says 'Deadline for activation: 31 March 2023.'

Aberdonians are canny folk and I believe most cards were activated as soon as they got them. There was lots of local publicity around the scheme, such as this from February:

We were delighted to offer this card to households that may have been struggling with the cost of living crisis, and at the same time give the local economy a much-needed boost.
"I would urge anyone who hasn't yet used their card to make sure they benefit from it."
“As well as helping local residents, the cards also support local businesses here in Aberdeen.”  
Residents have until the 31st March 2023 to activate their cards, which will be valid for 12 months from activation. 

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/news/gift-card-delivers-ps1-million-savings-so-far#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRecipients%20of%20the%20gift%20card,city%20benefiting%20from%20this%20initiative.

Money_Grabber13579

Presumably the 31 March deadline is something to do with ensuring that the rest of the last financial year’s budget was spent and they don’t want any funds coming out of the current financial year?

HillStreetBlues

Alderbank said:

The activation website says 'Deadline for activation: 31 March 2023.'
 

But the rules were changed, so a person looking at the start of Feb would have seen.





So after sending out letters stating 3 months (and the website also stating it), they changed the rules without them informing people with another letter.

I do feel a complaint is in  order.

tightauldgit

Alderbank said:

The Scottish Government gave Aberdeen Council some money to use as it saw fit to relieve hardship and boost local economy as we recover from the pandemic.
Aberdeen decided to use most of it (about £2million) to give a £125 Scotland loves Local - Aberdeen Gift Card to households who are either surviving on benefits or in low paid work.
I assume the English Government does similar?
To reduce risk of fraud, eligible households were posted an activation code followed separately a few days later by the Gift Card. The card number had to be activated on a website using the code.

I think the timings slipped a little or were delayed by strikes and Christmas post. The first letter said,'Activation Process. You should receive your first letter from 30 November onwards. This will be your activation code... You will have 3 months to activate your gift card. Once activated, your gift card will be valid for a period of 12 months.'

The activation website says 'Deadline for activation: 31 March 2023.'

Aberdonians are canny folk and I believe most cards were activated as soon as they got them. There was lots of local publicity around the scheme, such as this from February:

We were delighted to offer this card to households that may have been struggling with the cost of living crisis, and at the same time give the local economy a much-needed boost.
"I would urge anyone who hasn't yet used their card to make sure they benefit from it."
“As well as helping local residents, the cards also support local businesses here in Aberdeen.”  
Residents have until the 31st March 2023 to activate their cards, which will be valid for 12 months from activation. 

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/news/gift-card-delivers-ps1-million-savings-so-far#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRecipients%20of%20the%20gift%20card,city%20benefiting%20from%20this%20initiative.

There is no  English government and im not aware of it happening in England - though it might have

Sounds as though the councils have had free reign on how to implement the policy so I suspect there is no statutory requirement for any individual to receive the money - in which case complaining to the council might be the only path open. Although if the scheme is closed then it's likely closed and nothing more will be forthcoming. 

born_again

Certainly did not get anything like that round here. 
Yorkshire folk would have had it activated & spent in the 1st week of receiving.😍

Op has not said what date card was received unless it relates to  17th Feb. I received both soon after the stated dates. So why wait to activate, given the 12 months to use?