Summary: We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint about the Council delaying providing them with information and advice about care and support services following assessments and subsequently, delaying arranging care and support. This is because the injustice they experienced is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr and Mrs X complained the Council delayed providing them with information and advice about care and support services following their assessments which caused a delay in arranging care and support. They said the matter caused them frustration and worry. They want the Council to recognise it acted with fault and implement service improvements to prevent a recurrence of fault.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr and Mrs X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In September 2025, Mr and Mrs X approached the Council and asked it to complete an assessment of their care and support needs. Later that month, the Council completed an assessment for both Mr and Mrs X.
6. The Council asked Mr and Mrs X questions in relation to funding the care. Mr and Mrs X said although they told the Council they would be self-funding their care, the Council pressed them to complete financial related forms. Mr and Mrs X did not think it was necessary to do so.
7. Mr and Mrs X said the Council delayed providing them with information and advice about care and support services because they did not want to complete any financial related forms. They said the delay affected arranging any care and support. They said they asked the Council several times for such information.
8. The Council arranged a package of care for Mr and Mrs X which commenced in mid-November 2025.
9. Under the Care Act 2014, there is no fixed statutory timescale for councils to arrange care and support following an assessment. However, councils must act within reasonable time and without unnecessary delay. We say it is good practice for councils to arrange care within six weeks following an assessment.
10. We recognise there was a delay by approximately two weeks in Mr and Mrs X’s case and understand the injustice it would have caused them however, we do not think the injustice is significant enough to warrant an investigation. This is because there is no evidence the delay resulted in a serious deterioration in Mr or Mrs X’s health or prolonged risk to their wellbeing. We will therefore not investigate their complaint.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint because the injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman