London Borough of Ealing (24 016 130)

Statement Upheld Charging 03-Jun-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of the charges for his adult social care. The Council has agreed to take appropriate steps to remedy the uncertainty caused.

Hampshire County Council (24 021 538)

Statement Upheld Charging 03-Jun-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X complaint about the Council’s handling of his late father’s residential care charges. The Council has accepted it was at fault for not completing financial assessments sooner. It has apologised and offered a significant reduction in the outstanding invoice for care charges. Further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome.

Kent County Council (24 009 455)

Statement Upheld Charging 01-Jun-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about an invoice which incorrectly backdated charges for his stepfather’s stay at a care home and delay in the Council’s complaint process. We have found delay and poor communication causing distress but consider the Council’s proposed action of an apology, symbolic payment and liaison with the care home to obtain a refund of fees provides a suitable remedy.

London Borough of Hillingdon (24 010 459)

Statement Not upheld Charging 28-May-2025

Summary: Ms X complained that a delay in carrying out a financial assessment meant that her mother was not aware she would be charged for care in her home. And that no free reablement care was received after two hospital stays. There is no evidence of fault. The delay in the financial assessment was not the fault of the Council and there is no evidence Ms X’s mother was eligible for reablement care.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (24 020 354)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 28-May-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about charges for her mother’s residential care. The complaint is late and there are no good reasons why it could not have been brought to us sooner.

Bristol City Council (24 012 672)

Statement Upheld Charging 27-May-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault as it did not respond to Mr X’s official complaint and has not properly assessed some of the Disability Related Expenses incurred by his mother when calculating her contribution to care costs. Reassessing the Disability Related Expenses and making a payment for the distress caused by the delay in the complaints process remedies the injustice.

Coxbench Hall Limited (24 015 264)

Statement Not upheld Charging 27-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Care Home’s handling of her husband’s (Mr X) notice period which she says it incorrectly charged him for. The Care Home charged Mr X for his notice period in line with his contract and without fault.

Kent County Council (24 016 061)

Statement Upheld Charging 27-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council took too long to make funding arrangements to support her mother’s place in a care home. We found the Council to at fault because it took over a year to resolve. This caused Mrs X significant distress and frustration. To remedy this injustice, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Mrs X. It will also take action to improve its service.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (24 021 260)

Statement Upheld Charging 27-May-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a charge for her late husband’s care. This is because the Council has now refunded the charge and apologised to Ms X. Further investigation by us would achieve nothing more.

West Sussex County Council (24 010 360)

Statement Upheld Charging 26-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council provided misleading information about how it would treat a property her mother owned abroad when deciding whether she would need to contribute to the cost of her home care. We found delay and poor communication in completing the financial assessment which caused distress and the Council agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment.