Liverpool City Council (19 012 484)

Statement Upheld Charging 14-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about care and support charges when he received temporary care in a care home. The Ombudsman found fault by the Council regarding the information it provided about care charges, in the delay completing a financial assessment, and in its record keeping.

Coventry City Council (19 021 185)

Statement Upheld Charging 13-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault with the way the Council decided not to complete a fresh financial assessment when the administrator of a woman’s estate provided information demonstrating her circumstances had changed. This left the woman’s estate at a potential financial disadvantage. The Council agreed to complete a further financial assessment to recalculate the complainant’s contributions to her care charges and reimburse her estate if appropriate.

Avery Homes (Cannock) Limited (20 000 713)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 10-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about money owed to his father’s estate. This is because the care provider has agreed to refund the money and Mr X no longer wishes to pursue the complaint.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (19 016 142)

Statement Not upheld Charging 08-Jul-2020

Summary: A legal representative complains the Council wrongly calculated the contribution her client Mrs C was required to make towards the cost of care, having decided that Mrs C had deprived herself of capital. The Ombudsman finds no administrative fault in the Council’s decision-making. Further, the Council’s decision on deprivation did not lead to Mrs B paying more for her care in the relevant period.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (18 018 267)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Jul-2020

Summary: Mrs R complained about the Council’s handling of her mother’s care costs and its delays in responding to her complaint. The Council was late sending a bill of increased care costs, which caused the family worry and stress. It has apologised and reduced the invoice to reflect the injustice caused by its delay. It will review its processes to avoid a recurrence.

Northamptonshire County Council (19 003 773)

Statement Not upheld Charging 07-Jul-2020

Summary: The Council’s response to Ms X’s complaint was inadequate but there is no evidence that caused material injustice. There is insufficient evidence that the Council’s actions in seeking to recover the debt incurred by Ms X’s mother in law were fault.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (19 013 016)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council handled the costs of care provided to his father. He says an unexpected bill caused his father worry and stress. The Council was at fault for a delay in carrying out a financial assessment. It has already apologised and should reduce the debt to remedy the injustice caused.

Cumbria County Council (19 015 219)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Jul-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to explain to her that she would be charged for a short-term residential care home stay while her property was being deep cleaned. The Council was at fault as there is no evidence the Council explained the potential cost of the care or provided her with information about the cost before she returned home. The Council has agreed to waive the charges, to remind staff of the need to advise service users of the potential costs before they agree to receive care and support and to ensure this is noted in the case records.

Suffolk County Council (19 006 986)

Statement Upheld Charging 30-Jun-2020

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to carry out an appropriate financial assessment of her contribution to her care charges and failed to properly consider her disability related expenditure. The Council was at fault. It delayed responding to Miss X, failed to properly consider her disability related expenditure and failed to clearly communicate with Miss X. It has agreed to apologise to Miss X, to waive the requirement to pay any outstanding charges and to pay her £300 to acknowledge the distress this caused. It has also agreed to review her care and support plan and her financial assessment and to agree the best way to communicate with Miss X in future.

Essex County Council (19 007 663)

Statement Upheld Charging 29-Jun-2020

Summary: Mrs Y’s legal deputy complained on behalf of her estate that the Council failed to include various costs that should have been Disability Related Expenditure in a financial assessment. The Council also took too long to respond to the representative and failed to adequately explain its decision. To remedy this, the Council has agreed to pay £208 for avoidable additional costs and to include the cost of lift maintenance as disability related expenditure.