Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a carer’s assessment completed by the Council and the support it then offered. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr B complains about his housing situation and the support he has received from the Council as his adult daughter’s carer. Mr B says his situation is unsustainable and he has received no meaningful support despite having several carers assessments. He says the situation could have been avoided if the Council had provided appropriate care planning and support especially around social housing access. Mr B says he has accumulated debt meeting his daughter’s essential needs as he is without access to benefits or financial support. He says the situation has caused him significant distress and he is not sure what the Council should do to put things right.

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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 investigating, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(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. Mr B complained to the Council in May 2025 about the outcome of his carer’s assessment and the impact he felt this was having on his housing situation and the support provided to his adult daughter.
6. The Council responded in July 2025 and said following a review of Mr B’s social care records it showed it had completed a carer’s assessment in February 2025. It said the outcome of the assessment was to refer Mr B to his general practitioner and refer him to benefit maximisation to support him financially.
7. The Council said it had referred him to its housing crisis team and contacted the team for an update. The housing crisis team confirmed it had sent Mr B a decision letter which explained he housing situation was not considered a high priority need and he had been allocated housing band B.
8. The Council confirmed it had allocated a social worker to work with Mr B’s daughter and it would review her needs. In closing the Council did not uphold
   Mr B’s complaint as it found it had properly considered his needs and offered him appropriate support.
9. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because there in not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. Any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman