Bus stops and shelters This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about the council’s (or, in London, Transport for London's) actions in respect of local bus stops and shelters and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with decisions the council has made about our local bus stops and shelters. Can the Ombudsman help me? In a few cases, yes. T ...

Advice to planning applicants (complaints about) This fact sheet is aimed primarily at planning applicants who are unhappy with advice they have received from the council and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I asked the council for advice about the work I wanted to do. I followed the advice I was given and now discover it was wrong. Can the Ombudsman help me? Only in limite ...

Foster carers left out of pocket when child moved schools Gateshead council will apologise to a couple after it insisted they bear the costs of taking their disabled foster child to a special school agreed by the council, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said. The Ombudsman found the council wrong not to provide free school transport for the boy, who has multiple disabilities an ...

Luton told to fix benefits backlog by Ombudsman Luton Borough Council is improving the way it administers benefits appeals after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found it had a backlog of cases dating back five years. A man complained on behalf of his mother that the council had cancelled her housing benefit in 2017, but it had taken it until 2023 to refer her case to the Tribunal. ...

Man left without support to access the community after Westminster council reduced his care hours A visually impaired Westminster man did not have the help he needed for 14 months after the city council reduced his support package, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found. The man, who also has physical health problems, had his support package cut by Westminster City Council after he ...

Staffordshire fails to complete agreed remedy following Ombudsman complaint The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Staffordshire County Council for failing to apologise to a woman in good time following an earlier investigation. The woman, who has both mental as well as physical health needs, raised her problems with the council to the Ombudsman on two separate occasions. F ...

Monthly News March 2021 23 Mar 2021 Woman left to die alone in Surrey care home 18 Mar 2021 Ombudsman issues guide for dealing with children’s statutory complaints 16 Mar 2021 Council agrees to refund care costs for some people in short-term residential care 11 Mar 2021 Council fails to investigate children’s services complaints properly 09 Mar 2021 Boy with Special Educational Needs missed out o ...

Monthly News June 2021 25 Jun 2021 Birmingham to review school transport for children and young people following Ombudsman investigation 22 Jun 2021 Ombudsman finds London council failed to keep child safe 17 Jun 2021 Essex County Council to reconsider assessment of Disability Related Expenses 15 Jun 2021 Redbridge council continues to fail man with severe learning disability 08 Jun 2021 Family f ...

Special educational needs This fact sheet is aimed mainly at parents who are concerned that their child may have special educational needs that are not being met and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. What is the Ombudsman's role in complaints about special educational needs? The law generally prevents us from investigating complaints where the decision or issue complained ab ...

Hounslow refusing “to do right” by homeless pregnant woman it failed Hounslow council is refusing to offer a home to a young mother despite making a catalogue of errors which left her homeless and sofa surfing while pregnant. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended London Borough of Hounslow offer the woman and her baby its next available suitable accommodation, because its ...