Moors Park (Bishopsteignton) Limited (23 001 565)

Report Upheld Charging 18-Mar-2025

Summary: The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated a complaint about care home fees charged to the complainant’s mother. We found Moors Park (Bishopsteignton) Limited: imposed additional charges for care provided over a weekly baseline limit of 25 hours, which was not set out in the contract; charged other residents additional fees without first amending their contracts;  This meant the care home caused the woman financial injustice and her son suffered time and trouble complaining.

Cheshire East Council (24 003 207)

Statement Upheld Charging 10-Mar-2025

Summary: Mrs Y complained the Council failed to properly assess her mother, Mrs X’s, care needs and finances in August 2022, and failed to then commission adequate care. She says the Council also over charged Mrs X for residential care. The Council failed to follow up on Mrs X’s domiciliary care assessment and follow the proper process to charge a top up on Mrs X’s residential care costs. The Council has offered a suitable payment for Mrs X’s domiciliary care. It should apologise and make a payment to Mrs Y for the uncertainty caused.

Staffordshire County Council (24 009 081)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Mar-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s delays and errors in calculating Mr X’s contribution towards his care home charges and in sending an unexpected invoice for substantial arrears. We found the Council’s significant delays in, and failure to advise Mrs X of, the financial assessment process are fault. This caused Mrs X unnecessary distress and concern and financial difficulties. To remedy this the Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mrs X and agreed an affordable repayment plan.

East Sussex County Council (24 017 458)

Statement Upheld Charging 07-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council charging for social care provided. A further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome.

Cornwall Council (24 018 503)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 07-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council sharing her personal information with a third party without her consent. This is because complaints about data matters such as this are best considered by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Eastwick Barn Limited (24 011 542)

Statement Upheld Charging 06-Mar-2025

Summary: Ms W complained her mother’s care home did not deduct NHS funding from the fees she paid. Based on current evidence, we have not found fault with the charges made. However, we consider the care home to be at fault as it has not shown that it provided Ms W with sufficient costs information. We have recommended the care home apologise to Ms W and make a payment in recognition of the injustice caused.

London Borough of Merton (24 012 903)

Statement Upheld Charging 06-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about his mother’s discharge from hospital to a care home because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify our involvement. We asked the Council to take steps to remedy the uncertainty caused by its lack of information about the cost of his mother’s care and the avoidable time and trouble Mr X was put to trying to resolve the matter. It has agreed to apologise, make a symbolic payment and take steps to improve its services.

West Sussex County Council (24 013 557)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 06-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about an adult social care and financial assessment. Since making the complaint, the Council has met with Ms X, amended the assessment based on her comments and increased the amount of support she receives. There is insufficient evidence of fault or resulting significant injustice to justify our involvement.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (24 015 641)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 05-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint on behalf of her father, Mr Y, about his adult social care support package. It is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s actions

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (24 015 993)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 03-Mar-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint the Council has charged her late father for his care placement even though she was told the placement would be fully funded. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault. In addition, any fault has not caused significant injustice.