West Sussex County Council (21 011 135)

Statement Upheld Charging 30-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s charges for Mr X’s mother’s care. This is because Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s care charges is a late complaint and there is no good reason for us to consider it now. We will also not investigate the delays by the Council in pursuing the family for the debt as the Council has already offered a suitable remedy and there is nothing further we could achieve by investigating the complaint.

Suffolk County Council (21 011 037)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 29-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council misinforming Mr X about his father-in-law’s eligibility for the 12 week disregard. The injustice caused by the Council’s mistake is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

Altogether Care LLP (21 000 953)

Statement Upheld Charging 29-Nov-2021

Summary: Mr P complained Altogether Care LLP failed to keep records as set out in the Client Agreement and incorrectly charged for the care it provided his father. We found fault in the Care Provider’s record keeping and invoices to Mr P. It agreed to make payment and apologise for its errors to Mr P which cause him some distress. It also agreed to reconcile its Client Agreements with its current practice for logging care visits. It has already addressed our record keeping concerns and refunded its incorrect charges.

Sheffield City Council (21 000 646)

Statement Upheld Charging 25-Nov-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains on behalf of her mother, Mrs Y, about the Council’s decision that she deprived herself of assets to avoid paying towards her care costs. Mrs X says the Council did not fully consider all relevant factors and says the Council’s actions have caused her avoidable distress. We found fault in this matter and the Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X and carry out a further review of its financial assessment.

Wakefield City Council (21 000 742)

Statement Not upheld Charging 25-Nov-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to meet his mother Mrs Y’s care needs due to delays in completing a financial assessment. The Council was not at fault. Mr X and Mrs Y chose not to receive care while the financial assessment process was ongoing. The financial assessment is yet to be completed but that is not due to Council fault.

Quantum Care Limited (21 010 163)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 24-Nov-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about care provided to Mrs X’s mother before she passed away or the Care Provider issuing an invoice for care charges. This is because it is a late complaint and there is no reason why Mrs X could not have complained sooner.

City of Doncaster Council (21 001 037)

Statement Upheld Charging 24-Nov-2021

Summary: Mr C complained in his own right but also on behalf of his late father, Mr X. He complained Mr X did not receive the amount of care he was assessed as needing and for which he was charged. He considered it was wrong the Council took court action against his father for unpaid care charges. He further complained about how the Council responded to him, both before his father died and subsequently when he was trying to sort out his father’s affairs. He said Mr X was caused distress by the court action and was overcharged. And he was put to time and trouble in pursuing the matter. There was some fault which caused injustice to Mr C but that has been remedied by the apology already made.

Birmingham City Council (21 001 335)

Statement Not upheld Charging 23-Nov-2021

Summary: The Council has said that it will not pursue outstanding care charges, which remedies any financial injustice. The complaint was discontinued as further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (20 004 940)

Statement Upheld Charging 23-Nov-2021

Summary: Ms B complained on behalf of her father Mr X. She said the Council told her and the rest of the family there would be no charge when Mr X went into a nursing home. It was only after 15 months they received notification there was a charge. Ms B also complained about how the Council then responded to their complaints and questions. Ms B said they were put to time and trouble in having to pursue it with the Council. Also, the delay adversely affected Mr X’s wife’s financial position and the benefits she could claim. There was fault by the Council that caused injustice.

Essex County Council (21 001 923)

Statement Upheld Charging 22-Nov-2021

Summary: Mrs A complains the Council delaying arranging a payment plan for her mother’s care fees. This caused her distress and uncertainty during a difficult period, and meant her mother accumulated a large debt. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for delaying arranging a payment plan, and for failing to carry out the actions agreed in the complaint response. This caused Mrs A further distress and delayed resolving the complaint.