Suffolk County Council (18 017 135)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 20-Nov-2019

Summary: the Council has not properly considered Mr G’s request for financial support to care for his grandchildren, and the reason it gave for not paying Special Guardianship Order Allowance is invalid. The Council has agreed to consider his request again.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 003 541)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 19-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council was not at fault for reducing Ms B’s special guardianship allowance, because its decision was in line with the Special Guardianship Regulations. However, it failed to properly consider the use of its discretionary powers. It has agreed to assess Ms B’s finances and decide whether her circumstances justify discretionary payments on top of her allowance.

Sheffield City Council (18 013 819)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 13-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to properly consider its discretionary powers in deciding not to provide a child arrangements order allowance to Ms B. Different parts of its policy are also contradictory about the extent of those discretionary powers. The Council has agreed to re-assess Ms B’s granddaughter’s needs and to make a new decision about Ms B’s allowance. It has also agreed to review its policy.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 094)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 08-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council was not at fault for reducing Miss B’s special guardianship allowance, because its decision was in line with the Special Guardianship Regulations. However, it failed to properly consider the use of its discretionary powers. It has agreed to assess Miss B’s finances and decide whether her circumstances justify discretionary payments on top of her allowance.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (18 019 373)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 04-Nov-2019

Summary: the Council misled Miss B about the support she was applying for when she took on care of her brother and unreasonably stopped the financial support without warning. That caused Miss B financial difficulty and led to her going to time and trouble to pursue her complaint. An apology, payment to Miss B and reminder to officers is satisfactory remedy for the injustice caused.

City of Wolverhampton Council (19 008 657)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 28-Oct-2019

Summary: Ms B complains about the Council’s failure to make fostering payments to her prior to 2016 for looking after her younger sisters. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because it is a late complaint and so falls outside our jurisdiction.

Suffolk County Council (18 016 786)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 25-Oct-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council has not given her any financial support for looking after her granddaughters when their mother could not. The Ombudsman has found no fault in the Council’s decision to not provide financial support to Mrs X.

Northamptonshire County Council (18 011 884)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 18-Oct-2019

Summary: Mrs X complained about the financial support provided by the Council to help her to care for her three grandchildren. The Ombudsman has found fault in the way the Council managed her allowances. To remedy the injustice caused, the Ombudsman recommended the Council should apologise, write off the overpayment made to Mrs X and carry out a new assessment. The Council has agreed with this recommendation.

Wiltshire Council (18 007 032)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 15-Oct-2019

Summary: Mr and Mrs C complained that the Council failed to provide support for a child who was in their care. The Ombudsman finds fault by the Council, causing injustice to Mr and Mrs C. To remedy this, the Council has agreed to apologise, make a financial payment to Mr and Mrs C and review its practices.

Liverpool City Council (18 019 152)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 08-Oct-2019

Summary: the Council failed to record the reasons it pays a premium for G’s care and failed to explain to Mr and Mrs P the possibility the payments will decrease, but any fault has not caused them an injustice. There is no fault in the Council reviewing the payments it makes each year.