Complaints about adult social care in England rose by 22% last year, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's (LGSCO) Annual Review of Adult Social Care Complaints 2025-26, published today.

The LGSCO received 3,938 complaints and enquiries about adult social care in general in 2025-26, up from the previous year.

In the independent sector, complaints from people who fund their own care also rose by 10% to 368. The Ombudsman said this reflects a welcome increase in public awareness of the right to complain, though it remains concerned that too few people who fund their own care come forward given the scale of privately arranged care across the country.

Of the 904 cases investigated, 77% were upheld. The high rate of compliance with Ombudsman recommendations was maintained, with 99.8% of cases being completed to the Ombudsman’s satisfaction.

Positively, around a third (33%) of upheld complaints about private social care providers had already been suitably remedied by the organisation before the Ombudsman investigated, a 13-percentage-point rise on the previous year.

Amerdeep Clarke, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

"We are seeing welcome signs of improvement in how councils and care providers handle complaints, but there is still more to be done. My message to the sector is simple: use the learning in this report to improve services now, rather than waiting for wider changes to the care system that are currently under discussion.

"Councils should ensure the care providers they commission have current policies in place that reflect best practice, including clear signposting to us as the final step in the complaints process.

“And for care providers, dealing with complaints properly isn't just the right thing to do, it i fundamental to fostering excellent relations with your clients, families, and the wider communities in which you operate. Handling a complaint well protects your reputation, and where you have already investigated and appropriately remedied an issue, this can mean a full Ombudsman investigation isn't needed.

"Behind every one of these numbers is a person, a family or a carer trying to get things back on track after something has gone wrong. Getting the fundamentals right: clear records, honest explanations and proper signposting to our service, protects everyone: the people who rely on care, and the organisations providing it."

The Ombudsman offers a free online toolkit for care providers (asctoolkit.lgo.org.uk) to help them become "complaints confident", alongside guidance and training for councils on managing complaints and reviews.

The report and associated data tables can be downloaded from the Ombudsman’s website at www.lgo.org.uk/ascreview

Article date: 24 September 2026