East Sussex County Council (19 000 641)

Statement Upheld Charging 05-Nov-2019

Summary: Mrs C complains on behalf of her parents, Mr and Mrs B. The Ombudsman finds fault with the way the Council responded to a safeguarding concern reported by Mrs C. The delay in its response placed Mr and Mrs B at risk of abuse. The Council was also at fault in the way it communicated with Mrs B and Mrs C about the Client Contribution when Mr and Mrs B temporarily moved into a care home. This caused them unnecessary distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed actions to remedy the injustice.

East Sussex County Council (18 019 596)

Statement Upheld Charging 04-Nov-2019

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council did not inform her about changes to Ms Y’s contribution to her care and the way it dealt with her complaints about this. She says she ended up with significant arrears which she cannot afford to pay. The Ombudsman finds fault in the Council’s handling of her complaint but not in the information it provided about the increase. The Council has already apologised and taken action to prevent similar problems in future, so he makes no recommendations.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (19 000 956)

Statement Not upheld Charging 04-Nov-2019

Summary: There is no fault by the Council in the way it considered Mr X’s contributions towards the cost of his care. As Mr X is now in receipt of the mobility component of PIP I do not see there are grounds for the Council to provide an additional DRE allowance for petrol

Northamptonshire County Council (19 008 047)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 04-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about charges for her late mother’s care. This is because the complaint is late, and it is unlikely we could add anything to the Council’s response.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (19 000 907)

Statement Upheld Charging 31-Oct-2019

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council handled the care costs for his late father. He said the Council’s actions caused stress and worry for the family. The Council was at fault for not carrying out a full needs assessment and mental capacity assessment in November 2017, for not making clear what it had agreed about fees in its best interests decision in December 2017, for not considering the impact of Mr F moving to a new care home in 2018, for not being sufficiently proactive in resolving the dispute about top-up fees and for a delay in completing its financial assessment. It should pay the care home £1,000 to remedy the uncertainty caused.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (18 015 902)

Statement Upheld Charging 31-Oct-2019

Summary: Mrs B, complains for her elderly mother Mrs C about how the Council dealt with financial matters associated with the estate of a relative. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council in this matter, leading to injustice for Mrs C for which a remedy has been agreed.

South Gloucestershire Council (19 006 490)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 31-Oct-2019

Summary: Mr B complains about the Council’s failure to provide him with financial information relating to the cost of his wife’s care. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Brighton & Hove City Council (19 009 112)

Statement Upheld Charging 30-Oct-2019

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s delay in sending invoices for her mother’s care. She says this caused her stress and inconvenience. We should not investigate this complaint because the Council has already provided an appropriate remedy. An investigation is unlikely to achieve more for Ms X.

London Borough of Hillingdon (19 001 603)

Statement Not upheld Charging 29-Oct-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman has not found fault in the way the Council communicated with Mrs C about the charges for her mother’s care. It has not upheld the complaint about incidents involving two of the care agencies.

Lincolnshire County Council (19 006 455)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 29-Oct-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision on his mother’s financial assessment in relation to residential care home charges. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision.