Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing This fact sheet is aimed at people who are concerned that the council is not taking appropriate action over issues relating to taxis and private hire vehicles and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am unhappy with the way the council has handled my concerns about taxi or private hire vehicle licensing. Can the Ombudsman help me? We ca ...

Housing benefit claims This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems with a claim for housing benefit (or local housing allowance) and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. The Ombudsman cannot deal with complaints about housing payments made as part of a Universal Credit claim. I have a problem with my hous ...

Scrutiny questions Suggested questions to help councillors scrutinise their local services We believe that complaints raised by the public can be an important source of information to help councillors identify issues that are affecting local people. Complaints can therefore play a key part in supporting the scrutiny of public services. Below are range of questions that councillors could ask their ...

Scrutiny questions Suggested questions to help councillors scrutinise their local services We believe that complaints raised by the public can be an important source of information to help councillors identify issues that are affecting local people. Complaints can therefore play a key part in supporting the scrutiny of public services. Below are range of questions that councillors could ask their ...

Homelessness applications This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who are, or may become, homeless and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am homeless or will become homeless soon and the council is not dealing with my application properly. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes in some circumstances. We can consider your complaint if you have told a council you are homeless or ...

Monthly News June 2018 27 Jun 2018 London council based care decision on historic needs assessment 20 Jun 2018 Council ignores medical evidence when deciding man’s housing application 13 Jun 2018 Teenager wrongly left homeless by London council 07 Jun 2018 Homeless family left in crowded conditions while council delayed making decision

Disabled boy missed out on education and support because of poor council practice A West Sussex boy missed out on vital support because the county council decided he had the ‘wrong’ type of disabilities, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has reported. The boy, who has Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder did not have his social care needs met ...

Pregnant homeless woman left to sleep on hard floor by LB Tower Hamlets A pregnant woman, who approached Tower Hamlets council for help when she was made homeless, was left in an unfurnished flat, miles from her support network, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The woman was left in the flat for three months, and did not even have a bed until she was awarded a grant a mon ...

Essex couple unable to spend as much time as they wanted in final days because of council decision An Essex woman was not able to spend as much time as she wanted with her husband in his final weeks because the county council moved him to a care placement further away from the family home, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The man, who had dementia, had been living in a ca ...

Noise nuisance This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who are concerned that the council is not taking the right action to deal with the noise nuisance they are experiencing and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Organisations the Ombudsman can look at We hold councils to account for services they pay other organisations, including private companies, to carry out on the ...