Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the outcome of a care assessment from 2022. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to investigate.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council failed to provide the support which had been identified in a care assessment in 2022. In particular, she says a deep clean of her home and assistance in arranging cleaning support were agreed but not delivered.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The Council investigated Miss X’s complaint. It accepted there had been delays in addressing her support needs. The Council explained a support request had been made in March 2022 and a Care Act assessment completed in November 2022, but actions identified by the allocated social worker were not progressed after that worker left. The Council acknowledged the matter was not picked up again until February 2025, when a referral was made to the hygiene service. It partially upheld the complaint and apologised for the delay. The Council also advised Miss X of her right to approach the Ombudsman if she remained dissatisfied.

7. We will not investigate. We expect complaints to normally be brought to us within 12 months of the person becoming aware of the matters complained about. The substantive issue is a delay in arranging support following requests made in 2022, and the Council's failure to progress agreed actions before its final complaint response of June 2025. The Council's response acknowledged the delays, explained what had happened and specifically advised Miss X of her right to complain to the Ombudsman if she remained dissatisfied.
8. Miss X did not bring her complaint to the Ombudsman until August 2026. This is more than 13 months after receiving the Council's final response and well over 12 months after becoming aware of the main issues complained about.
9. I have considered whether there are good reasons to investigate despite the delay. However, Miss X was aware of the issues and her right to approach the Ombudsman in June 2025. While there was subsequent correspondence about the quality of the hygiene service intervention, the Council has treated those concerns as separate complaints, and they do not alter the fact that the original complaint about delays in social care support was already concluded. So, I do not consider there are good reasons to investigate this late complaint.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to investigate.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman