Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to reduce Mrs X allocated care hours. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained the Council reduced her hours of care without warning. She said she did not receive a written explanation, and the Council did not complete an assessment. She said she is unable to pay for her care. She wants the Council to complete a care assessment.

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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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or

(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 the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X said the Council did not complete an assessment before it reduced her hours of care in her support plan in January 2026.
6. In its complaint response the Council said it completed a review and discussed the reduction of hours with Mrs X. It also explained the reduction via email.
7. During my enquiries the Council provided a copy of the review which shows the reduction was due to Mrs X’s husband living with her and he received Care Allowance. Therefore, it deemed he could provide care for Mrs X and her hours were reduced from 26.26 to 5.25 per week.
8. Mrs X complained the allocated hours did not meet her needs. In its complaint response the Council said it would complete a full care act assessment and functional assessment.
9. Since the final response the Council confirmed it completed the assessments and provided the documentation. The outcome was that Mrs X’s hours were increased to 15.75 per week as her husband’s health impacted on the care he could provide her. The Council said it asked Mrs X for information about periods when her husband was absent, however she did not provide it.
10. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council completed an assessment before it made the decision to reduce Mrs X’s hours. When Mrs X complained it provided an explanation as to why it had reduced the hours and organised further assessments due to her concerns. These assessments have now taken place and Mrs X hours increased. Therefore, there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.
11. In addition, Mrs X said she wanted an assessment as an outcome to her complaint. If Mrs X feels the hours do not meet her needs, she can submit the information requested by the Council. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman