Kent County Council (19 013 936)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Direct payments 11-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about her backdated and ongoing care charges. This is because the Council has taken proportionate action to remedy the injustice to Mrs X for to the backdated care charges. It is unlikely that an investigation will lead to a different outcome. It is also unlikely the Ombudsman would find fault with the Council over the ongoing care charges.

Shropshire Council (19 005 889)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 10-Feb-2020

Summary: There is no fault by the Council in its action to pursue a debt from the late Mrs Y’s estate.

Milton Keynes Council (19 006 070)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 10-Feb-2020

Summary: Miss B complained the Council unreasonably reduced the amount it disregards for holidays in her financial assessment when her circumstances have not changed. The Council’s calculation of the disregard was carried out properly but the Council applied it from the wrong date. The Council will amend when its 2019 calculation starts from and refund Miss B the difference between the two amounts.

West Sussex County Council (19 003 340)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 31-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains Isle of Wight Council (IWC) failed to meet his mother’s needs properly or his needs as her carer, and West Sussex County Council (WSCC) failed to support his mother properly after June 2018 and ignored his request to stop paying her direct payments to him. WSCC has not failed to support his mother. It failed to take any action in response to Mr X’s request to stop making payments, but this did not cause injustice to him or his mother. IWC did not always implement the mother’s care and support plan, which caused injustice to Mr X. It needs to apologise and pay financial redress.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (19 004 538)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 28-Jan-2020

Summary: There was no fault in the way the Council delivered part of a remedy that the Ombudsman recommended in a previous decision.

Warrington Council (19 011 115)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Direct payments 16-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the amount the Council says the complainant must pay towards the cost of their care. This is because it is unlikely he would find fault by the Council.

West Sussex County Council (18 012 808)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 06-Dec-2019

Summary: Mr C receives direct payments from the Council to fund a package of care and support. The Ombudsman has not found evidence of fault in the way the Council considered the way Mr C could use his direct payments.

West Sussex County Council (19 007 110)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 05-Dec-2019

Summary: We do not uphold complaints about the use of Mrs A’s direct payment or about a lack of reviews and welfare checks. There was a delay in issuing a care and support plan to Mrs A, this was fault but caused no injustice as the Council was already paying the direct payment.

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 770)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 02-Dec-2019

Summary: there were significant faults in the way the Council reviewed Mrs X’s care and support needs and reduced her care package and Direct Payments. This caused her some hardship and severe distress. The Council has agreed to provide a suitable remedy.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (19 011 073)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Direct payments 28-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr A’s complaint about the Council’s decision to change the way it manages direct payments. This is because any further investigation by the Ombudsman could not add to the Council’s response and he could not make a finding of the kind Mr A wants.