Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council closing his care account. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained after the Council wrongly deleted his care account. He said that led to confusion and meant the Council did not review his financial assessment on time. Mr X is concerned the Council does not have an accurate record of his care contributions. He said the Council also sent a backdated invoice for a higher care contribution.

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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 our involvement, or

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(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. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council wrongly deleted his care account. That is because the Council has reinstated the account and confirmed it has received Mr X’s client contributions. It said despite deleting the account there was no loss in his package of care as it had continued to pay Mr X’s Care Provider. Therefore, although there was an error on the Council’s behalf, it has not caused Mr X a significant injustice and further investigation will not lead to a different outcome.
6. We will also not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council sent him an invoice with a backdated increase in care contributions. In the Council’s complaint response, it said it completed his financial assessment in July 2024 and would apply his new care contributions from this date. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify our involvement. There is also nothing to suggest Mr X has been caused a significant injustice by any delay in completing the financial assessment.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman