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 ...

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. ...

Medway Council criticised for not reviewing school transport policy properly Medway Council has been criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for failing to review its home to school transport policy following an earlier complaint. That complaint involved the council not providing school transport to a girl whose mother chose to send her to a school which was not her nearest q ...

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 ...

Child protection issues This fact sheet is for parents, carers, children and young people who have experienced problems with a child protection issue and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I have a problem with a child protection matter. Can the Ombudsman help me? In many cases, yes. If a child might be at risk of significant harm, the council has a duty to make enquiries. If ...

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 ...

Bedfordshire boy missed more than a year’s education because of council failures Central Bedfordshire Council is to review the way it provides alternative education for children who are unable to attend school because of medical issues following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The changes are part of the Ombudsman’s recommendations for the council in a case whe ...

Council to apologise to Southend mother for not considering her needs as a carer Southend council has agreed to apologise to a mother for twice failing to assess her needs as a carer despite agreeing to do so in a previous investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. In the previous complaint, the mother told the Ombudsman Southend-on-Sea City Council had not carried out a par ...

Ombudsman reminds councils of their foster carer school transport duties Councils across England are being reminded about the financial support they must provide to foster carers’ school transport expenses following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman into Wolverhampton council. The warning comes after a foster carer complained the council told her the children she ...

Hampshire council did not arrange transport for boy with special needs in time Hampshire County Council expected a young child with special educational needs to travel on their own in a taxi to school – or face a three-hour round-trip in shared transport. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated after a father complained his child, who was due to start Reception at his special ...