Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the financial support provided by the Council to care for her brother because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council did not provide appropriate financial support when her brother lived with the family between April and August 2025. She believes the Council was responsible for accommodating him and should pay her mother as a family and friends foster carer. She is concerned her brother should receive the care and support he is entitled to as a care leaver.

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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
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(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. Ms X’s brother returned home in April 2025 having previously lived with a relative under a formal legal arrangement.
6. Ms X’s mother, Ms M, complained to the Council in August 2025. She said she had spoken to an independent advice organisation and believed she was entitled to financial support from the Council to care for her son. She asked the Council to pay the money to which she believed she was entitled.
7. I understand the Council met with Ms M’s son when he returned home in April 2025 and offered to arrange accommodation for him. He refused. The Council provided financial support (vouchers) to help Ms M out and explained that Ms M could claim benefits for her son.
8. The Council remained in contact with Ms M’s son. When he changed his mind about living with his mother later that summer, the Council arranged alternative accommodation for him.
9. The Council said Ms M was not entitled to more financial support from the Council.
10. Unhappy with the outcome, Ms X complained to us.
11. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation by us.
12. Ms M was, in effect, asking the Council to pay her as a foster carer for her own son. That is not possible. Further investigation will not lead to a different outcome.
13. Regrettably, it appears the independent advice Ms M received was wrong.
14. Ms M was also concerned her son should not miss out on any support he would be entitled to if he had been looked after by the Council when he lived with her. The Council confirmed he would not. There is not enough evidence of fault, or injustice, to justify further investigation by us.

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Final decision

15. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman