London Borough Of Barnet (19 011 268)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 15-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr K complains about a delay in reviewing his support needs. And that the Council refused to agree to provide the support he needs to care for his son. We cannot decide whether Mr K needs all the support he requests. But we do uphold the complaint, because the Council did not provide any extra support when it could not agree a revised support plan with Mr K. The Council has agreed to our recommendations.

Hertfordshire County Council (19 019 240)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 15-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr P complained that the Council and Trust stopped his direct payment without telling him, and did not give him the information he needed about how direct payments worked. The Trust, on behalf of the Council, apologised and paid Mr P a financial remedy. They also made improvements to how direct payments are managed following Mr P’s complaint.

Coventry City Council (20 001 521)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 06-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to prevent him from using his direct payments to employ his wife as a carer. The information provided shows the Council is now conducting a fraud investigation in respect of how Mr X has used his direct payments. As a result it is not appropriate for us to investigate this matter further and so we will use our general discretion to discontinue the investigation.

London Borough of Camden (20 000 763)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 05-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council stopped his brother, Mr B’s direct payments in 2016 and also reduced his package of care by 21 hours a week. The Council was at fault when it stopped Mr B’s direct payments without taking steps to resolve any issues, accused Mr X of withholding the excess funds and failed to provide the majority of Mr B’s care package. The Council has agreed to apologise to the family and pay them £2,300 for the effects of the missed provision and unnecessary and prolonged additional carers’ strain this caused them. It has also agreed to review its procedures.

London Borough of Hounslow (20 001 966)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 05-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council made unreasonable demands by insisting his personal assistant registered with a payroll company before it would make direct payments. Mr B said he was unable to employ his preferred carers or find anyone else. We cannot find fault with the actions of the Council: it was reasonable to require basic checks on prospective personal assistants to protect public money and service users from fraud.

West Sussex County Council (19 020 780)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 04-Jan-2021

Summary: Mrs B complaints about how the Council dealt with direct payments for her daughter’s care. We find that there was fault by the Council in this matter, leading to injustice for which a remedy has been agreed.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (19 012 063)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 18-Dec-2020

Summary: There was fault in the way the Council decided to send Mr B an invoice for a contribution towards care costs from 2016 to 2018. Mr B had paid the contribution from the wrong account, but there was fault in the Council’s communications about this error and its failure to take any action earlier. The Ombudsman recommends the Council apologises to Mr B, writes off part of the debt and offers him a meeting and a repayment plan for the remainder of the debt.

East Sussex County Council (19 015 462)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 18-Dec-2020

Summary: The Council was not at fault for the way it sent invoices to Mr Y for care charges or for how it responded to his concerns. However, the Council was at fault for not explaining why it was charging Mr Y weekly for a service when he attended fortnightly. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (19 011 032)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 15-Dec-2020

Summary: The Council has already upheld Mr C’s complaint that there was delay in its provision of a care plan and in its response to the complaint. We agree there was fault. The Council has agreed to amend the care plan and has offered a re-assessment. The Council has also offered a payment of £250 and cancellation of the debt Mr C owes. These are appropriate remedies for the fault.

North East Lincolnshire Council (20 003 995)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 15-Dec-2020

Summary: Miss X complains about the Council’s financial assessment for her adult son. She says the Council only disregarded housing costs of just over £15 a week when Mr P’s contribution to the rent is around £53 a week. We do not find fault with the Council’s charging policy or financial assessment.