Sheffield City Council (25 015 104)

Statement Upheld Charging 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about poor care provided by a care provider. The Council provided a proportionate remedy so an investigation would not achieve more for Mrs X and Mr and Mrs Y.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 002 954)

Statement Upheld Charging 30-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council reneged on a promise to waiver costs incurred for her mother’s care in the period before it decided her financial assessment. We do not find the Council at fault for charging for Mrs X’s mother’s care for this period. This is because its decision is in keeping with the relevant statutory guidance. We did find fault by the Council because it raised Mrs X’s expectations that it would not charge her for her mother’s care costs for this period. This caused Mrs X avoidable distress and uncertainty. The Council agreed to apologise and make Mrs X a symbolic payment.

Surrey County Council (25 016 771)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 30-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to apply a property disregard during his mother’s financial assessment. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant our involvement. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council providing inconsistent information during the financial assessment process because this did not cause a significant injustice.

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (24 015 136)

Statement Upheld Charging 29-Mar-2026

Summary: Mr Y complained that the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and NHS South West London Integrated Care Board did not pay the rent for his daughter’s specialist accommodation, despite it being part of her section 117 aftercare needs. We found fault with the Council. It managed the process of identifying and securing Miss X’s accommodation and should have included rent, and associated costs, in its costings and should have paid them from the outset. It should not have made the person liable for the rent and expected them to apply for benefits to fund it. This fault caused Mr Y avoidable stress and inconvenience. We have not found fault with the ICB as it did not make the decisions we found fault with.

Essex County Council (25 016 209)

Statement Upheld Charging 29-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council charging care fees for a period as there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation. We have upheld Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in responding to her emails about the charges. The Council has agreed to provide a proportionate remedy for the distress caused to Mrs X.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 016 755)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 29-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council considered Mr Y’s disability related expenditure. There is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Manchester City Council (25 018 601)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 29-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council included a loan from the bank as savings in a care assessment. We have not seen enough evidence of fault to justify a further investigation.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (24 019 863)

Statement Upheld Charging 27-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council increased her relative, Miss Y’s, care fees despite no change to her care, and believes it is charging for undelivered support. The Council was at fault. It failed to give Mrs X a clear and timely explanation about the increased care fees. Mrs X suffered distress and uncertainty as a result. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X, make a symbolic payment, and send us evidence of improvements it says it has made.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 008 173)

Statement Not upheld Charging 27-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council provided incorrect and misleading advice about the cost of her husband’s residential care. We have found no fault by the Council.

Hampshire County Council (25 016 073)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 27-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council charging his late mother, Ms Y, for a care package. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why he did not complain to us sooner.