Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council's handling of Mr X's access to domestic abuse support. This is because further investigation would be unlikely to find evidence of fault.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council did not provide appropriate domestic abuse support or safeguarding after its commissioned domestic abuse service decided not to offer ongoing support. He said the Council did not intervene, reassess the risks he faced, provide alternative support, or make reasonable adjustments for him as a disabled male victim of domestic abuse.
2. Mr X also complained the Council refused to investigate his complaint because it was made later than 12 months after the events. He said this decision left him without domestic abuse advocacy and support and caused him distress, isolation, and a decline in his wellbeing.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
5. 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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. The matters at the centre of Mr X's complaint relate to his attempts to access domestic abuse support in 2019 and 2023. In December 2025, Mr X complained to both the service provider and the Council about these matters.
9. The Council decided not to investigate the complaint because the matters complained about were more than 12 months old. This is a decision it was entitled to make.
10. The service provider responded and while it noted the complaint fell outside its normal complaint’s timescales, it reviewed the issues raised. It explained it had completed a domestic abuse risk assessment with Mr X in 2019 and a further assessment in December 2023. It considered the information Mr X provided during those assessments, offered advice and signposting, and decided not to provide ongoing support. Council records also show it was aware of Mr X's vulnerabilities, considered his support needs, and made referrals where appropriate.
11. We usually expect people to complain to us within 12 months of becoming aware of the matters they wish to raise. Mr X's complaint concerns events that happened in 2019 and 2023. He first contacted us in 2024 and was advised to raise his concerns with the Council. Because Mr X first approached us in 2024, we can consider the events from 2023. However, we will not consider the events from 2019 because these matters are late and I see no good reason why Mr X could not have complained about them sooner.
12. Regarding the 2023 events, the service provider did review the complaint but did not uphold it, finding it had properly assessed Mr X's circumstances and offered appropriate support.
13. We will not investigate this part of Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would be unlikely to find evidence of fault.

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Final decision

14. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would be unlikely to find evidence of fault

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman