Cheshire West & Chester Council (24 015 778)
Category : Adult care services > Disabled facilities grants
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 09 Jul 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to award a Disabled Facilities Grant. This is because we would be unlikely to find fault.
The complaint
- Mr X complained that the Council refused to award him a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). He also complained about information available about DFG’s.
- Mr X complained this has had a negative effect on his health.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 investigating (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a grant awarded to eligible disabled people to allow them to make adaptations to their home to meet their needs. However, the Council cannot approve a grant for works already completed.
- Mr X started work on his house in 2024 then contacted the Council for information about DFG’s. Mr X was told a DFG could not be approved retrospectively.
- Mr X also complained about the information available on DFG’s. The Council provided links to its website with information available to the public.
- The Council considered Mr X’s circumstances, made a referral to Adult Social Care, and provided information on DFG’s. Therefore, it is unlikely we would find fault. The Council cannot retrospectively approve DFG’s for work already done.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is unlikely we would find fault.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman