Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about payments made to a foster carer. It is unlikely we could say he has been caused any significant direct injustice by the Council’s actions.

The complaint

1. Mr X says a foster carer he knows has claimed fostering carer allowances whilst not caring for the foster child.

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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 any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained. (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 Mr X and the Council and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X says a foster carer of a friend, Y, claimed foster carer allowance for seven years for caring for Y, and should not have done so. Mr X complained to the Council. It said it had robustly investigated his claims. It could not provide him with the details of this as it said he was not entitled to this information.
5. It is unlikely our investigation could say Mr X has directly been caused any significant injustice by payments to the foster carer.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint as it is unlikely we could say he has been caused any direct significant injustice by the payments made to a foster carer.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman