Lancashire County Council (19 009 521)

Statement Upheld Charging 20-Feb-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s handling of care charges for her mother, Mrs Y, causing financial loss and distress. The Ombudsman finds the Council failed to administer care charges correctly, causing injustice. The Ombudsman recommends the Council pays £100 for time and trouble and £200 for distress and uncertainty.

Essex County Council (19 006 794)

Statement Upheld Charging 20-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr C complained that the Council had failed to tell him he would have to pay for the care he received when he was discharged from hospital. We find the Council told Mr C before the care was arranged, that the care was chargeable but gave him no indication whether he would have to pay for it or how much he would have to pay. This was fault and meant Mr C was unable to make an informed decision about whether to accept the care. The Council has agreed to waive the charges up to the point it notified him in writing how much he had to pay.

Southend-on-Sea City Council (19 007 974)

Statement Not upheld Charging 20-Feb-2020

Summary: There is no evidence to suggest that the Council were at fault for charging Mr C for care. The Ombudsman’s investigation found Mr C decided to stay at a care home, rather than return to his home, and that he was aware this would be chargeable. There is also no evidence the Council delaying adaptations to Mr C’s property.

Southend-on-Sea City Council (19 005 780)

Statement Upheld Charging 19-Feb-2020

Summary: Mrs Y complained on behalf of her mother, Mrs X that the Council gave incorrect and misleading advice about charging for Mrs X’s care after she left hospital to go into interim care. The Council did not adequately explain the charging basis. It has agreed to cancel charges up to when it was decided Mrs X would live permanently at the care home. This is an appropriate remedy.

Reading Borough Council (19 014 317)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 19-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about charging the complainant’s parents for their care fees. This is because the substantive complaint is made late and there are no good reasons to exercise the Ombudsman’s discretion to consider it now. Additionally we could add nothing further to the Council’s response to the issue of delay in its complaint handling.

Hertfordshire County Council (18 016 496)

Statement Upheld Charging 17-Feb-2020

Summary: Mrs T complained the Council did not properly consider carer’s mileage costs for helping her son access the community. The Ombudsman found the Council was at fault in the way it handled this matter. We recommended a remedy which the Council has agreed.

Durham County Council (19 012 290)

Statement Upheld Charging 17-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsmen find there was fault by a Trust in giving a family incorrect information about a mental health patient’s status. When this came to light it caused the patient’s wife considerable stress which has not yet been fully addressed. The Ombudsmen also find that fault by a Council meant the patient’s wife suffered this stress for too long. The Ombudsmen has recommended small financial payments to act as an acknowledgement of the outstanding injustice.

Norfolk County Council (19 015 291)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 17-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs Q’s complaint about the Council’s decision to stop paying her son’s transport costs to attend his placement. This is because the complaint has been resolved and Mrs Q wishes to withdraw it.

Avery Homes (Nelson) Limited (19 015 414)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 14-Feb-2020

Summary: The complaint is about allegedly unpaid nursing home fees. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the main points are more properly for the courts.

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 013 848)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 13-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council’s hourly direct payments rate is insufficient to purchase care and support from his chosen care provider. An investigation is unlikely to find fault.