Nottinghamshire County Council (19 012 117)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Sep-2020

Summary: The Council is at fault as it failed to carry out a review of Mrs Y care and support needs after six weeks to determine if a care package was meeting her needs. The Council’s fault contributed to Mr X and Mrs Y not cancelling the care package when she no longer wanted it which she incurred costs for. The Council has agreed to waive half of Mrs Y’s outstanding care charges to remedy her injustice.

Liverpool City Council (19 018 132)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Sep-2020

Summary: the complainant says the Council failed to properly manage the care costs account of a relative leading to a large debt payable by her family on her death. The Council accepts fault but says its offer of £200 in recognition of the fault addresses any injustice. The Ombudsman finds the Council at fault and recommends a higher payment.

London Borough of Bromley (20 000 388)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 04-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to claim back its contribution towards his mother’s care. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. This is because it is unlikely our involvement would lead to a different outcome. The Council has apologised and proposed an appropriate remedy for not providing clear information about contributions it offered Mr X’s mother.

Leicestershire County Council (19 017 153)

Statement Not upheld Charging 03-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr F complains on behalf of his sister about the Council’s decision she deprived herself of her assets. The Ombudsman has found no fault.

Lancashire County Council (19 010 183)

Statement Not upheld Charging 20-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council charged his mother, Mrs Y, for domiciliary care she received between 2016 and 2019, despite telling them she would not be charged. The Council was not at fault. Mrs Y and Mr X were aware of the care charges and the Council invoiced and billed Mrs Y appropriately.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (19 011 782)

Statement Not upheld Charging 19-Aug-2020

Summary: The complainant, Ms X complains about the Council’s management of services she received from the Council and changes to the funding of those services. Information recently received from Ms X shows she may not be entitled to Council funded services and therefore the Council issued a notice withdrawing its funding. The Ombudsman discontinued his investigation because he is unlikely to find fault or injustice if Ms X cannot show she is entitled to receive, or the funding for, the services about which she complained.

London Borough of Hackney (19 016 884)

Statement Upheld Charging 17-Aug-2020

Summary: Ms Y complains about the Council’s decision on Ms X’s care charge contributions and its handling of the dispute. The Ombudsman finds no fault in the Council’s decision on Ms X’s care charges but finds fault in its handling of the dispute. The Ombudsman recommends the Council provides an apology, pays £100 for distress and uncertainty and acts to prevent recurrence.

Trafford Council (19 017 380)

Statement Upheld Charging 17-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs B and Mrs C complained about the Council’s failure to inform them about an outstanding debt for care home fees or to chase them about the debt. The Ombudsman has not found fault in the Council’s communications except for a delay between February 2017 and September 2018. The Ombudsman has not investigated whether the Council can pursue the debt through the court as this is outside of its jurisdiction and can only be decided by the court.

Surrey County Council (20 000 375)

Statement Not upheld Charging 14-Aug-2020

Summary: Ms Y complains the Council has not completed a satisfactory review of the suitability of a care home to meet her father’s care needs. She says this means she is left with uncertainty about whether the family should be required to pay a top-up fee for his current care home. The Ombudsman has not found fault in the way the Council carried out the review.

Kent County Council (19 008 309)

Statement Upheld Charging 14-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs C complains that the Council did not provide proper advice about the 12-week property disregard in relation to charging for residential care. As a result, her mother was unnecessarily charged for the first six weeks’ stay in her care home. The Ombudsman considers that the Council did not give appropriate advice. The Council has agreed to backdate the 12-week disregard to the date of Mrs C’s first call. It has also agreed to review its procedures to ensure that it complies with its duty to provide appropriate and timely information and ensure that officers are aware of that duty.