London Borough of Ealing (25 006 446)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 21-Apr-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council charging her late mother, Mrs Y, for a full contribution towards her placement at a care home. This is because the matter has been considered by the courts. The law prevents us from investigating complaints which have already been considered by the courts. Ms X’s complaint is also late and there are no good reasons why she did not complain sooner.

Medway Council (25 009 025)

Statement Upheld Charging 21-Apr-2026

Summary: The Council is at fault in the way it carried out Mr X’s financial assessment and calculated his disability related expenditure (DRE). The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X’s representative, Mrs Y, and complete a review of Mr X’s care plan and a new financial assessment.

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council (25 017 141)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 20-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about financial assessment for adult social care costs. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision.

East Sussex County Council (25 011 698)

Statement Not upheld Charging 19-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council wrongly told his mother-in-law that she would not need to pay for her care then later asked her to make a significant contribution. We have ended our investigation because the Council has taken action that appropriately remedies any injustice.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 006 301)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 14-Apr-2026

Summary: Mrs X complains on behalf of her mother, Mrs Y, about inaccurate information regarding social care charges provided by the Trust and the Council. Mrs X says this led to Mrs Y accepting social care support which she would have rejected, had she known it would be chargeable. Mrs X says an invoice for the services caused upset and distress. She would like the Council to waive the charges. We will not investigate this complaint. An Ombudsman investigation is unlikely to achieve more than the Council’s local complaint investigation.

Swindon Borough Council (25 017 538)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 13-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about charging for adult social care. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council completed the financial assessment. We cannot challenge the decision, even though the complainant disagrees with it.

Worcestershire County Council (25 006 694)

Statement Upheld Charging 12-Apr-2026

Summary: There was fault by the Council. The Council failed to send invoices for a service users care to his appointee for over 3 years. This has meant a large debt is now owed to the Council. The Council will remedy the complaint by carrying out a financial assessment to decide if Mr X, who lacks capacity to deal with his finances, has the funds to repay the debt. The Council will either write off the debt or propose a payment plan, depending on the outcome of the re-assessment.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 007 904)

Statement Upheld Charging 12-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council wrongly charged Mr Y for a period after he had moved out of a care home, when he was waiting for confirmation he could remove Mr Y’s belongings. We found the Council’s failure to respond to Mr X’s queries and to properly inform him regarding ending the placement at the care home and any potential costs is fault. The length of time taken to send an invoice for these charges is also fault. These faults have caused Mr X and Mr Y an injustice. The Council will apologise and refund the charges for the period after Mr Y left the care home.

Gloucestershire County Council (25 011 779)

Statement Upheld Charging 12-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council misled his late father, Mr Y, about the costs of care and delayed his financial assessment. He also complained the Council asked Mr Y to sign documents he did not have the mental capacity to understand. We found the Council at fault for delaying completing a financial assessment for Mr Y and for not properly considering his mental capacity to make decisions about his finances. The Council should repeat its offer to waive some of the care charges and apologise.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (25 007 063)

Statement Upheld Charging 08-Apr-2026

Summary: There was fault by the Council. The Council delayed chasing up the invoices for care until after the service user died. This has left the family with a large debt. A symbolic payment, apology and consideration of whether the debt should be written off if the estate is not able to pay remedies the injustice caused.