Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to provide financial support to Mrs X when she began caring for her granddaughter. This is a late complaint as Mrs X has taken nearly three years to bring it to us.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council failed to provide her with financial support when she began caring for her granddaughter.
2. Mrs X says she has suffered financial hardship and distress as a result of the Council’s actions.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mrs X began caring for her granddaughter in 2016. In 2018 the Council informed her she was not entitled to financial support.
7. Mrs X did not complain to the Ombudsman until 2018. Therefore, this is a late complaint. We have discretion to set aside this restriction where we decide there are good reasons. In this case I have decided not to exercise discretion because it is reasonable to expect Mrs X to have complained to us about the Council’s decision sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is a late complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman