The Complainant outlined that she suffers with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ‘ME’ which can have an incredibly debilitating effect. The Complainant said that she was formally diagnosed with the condition in January 2017 and had previously been diagnosed with depression. The Complainant stated that there is a degree of cognitive impairment in the sense that her short-term memory is poor.

The Complainant, a solicitor, submitted that this was the first time she was late in filing a return to the Respondent public body. She described the online system as a “nightmare”. The Complainant stated that she was unable to sort the Digital Certificate required for the online system. She described the process as being a real headache.

In summary, the Complainant