Councils must meet all assessed care needs, says Ombudsman People who need care should not be asked to choose which of their needs, identified through an assessment, their council should meet, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said. An investigation by the Ombudsman found a man was placed in this situation, incurring him more than £17,000 in costs, by Northamptonshire County Coun ...

Disabled woman had care package reduced by more than half following flawed assessment by Bolton council The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council significantly reduced a disabled woman’s care package without properly assessing her needs. The woman, who is registered blind and has numerous health conditions and disabilities, previously received a ...

City council to review transport policy for adults with special educational needs following Ombudsman investigation A Birmingham mother had to drive five hours a day to take her adult son, who had ‘severe and critical needs’, to his specialist college, because Birmingham City Council did not provide him with transport, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The 20-year-old, who ...

Homeless Lewisham mother placed in mouldy accommodation near to her abuser – Ombudsman reports Lewisham council has agreed to pay a mother more than £14,000 after it left her in such poorly maintained temporary accommodation that it hospitalised her child. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman was asked to investigate after the mother claimed the council failed to meet its homelessness d ...

The children’s statutory complaints procedure This fact sheet is for people who wish to make, or have already made, a complaint about a council's Children’s Service. It advises you on the way the council should deal with your complaint and when you can ask us to consider it. How will the council consider my complaint? Councils consider some complaints about Children’s Services under a special thr ...

Right to buy applications This fact sheet is aimed primarily at council tenants who are experiencing problems with their right to buy applications and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am unhappy about the way the council is dealing with my right to buy application. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes, in some circumstances. We consider whether the council has done something wr ...

Section 106 agreements (planning obligations) This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have concerns about the way a section 106 agreement (or planning obligation) has been considered or enforced. It provides some guidance for people who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. What are section 106 agreements? New development can place extra burdens on the existing infrastr ...

Yearly News 2022 15 Dec 2022 Oxfordshire fails to provide alternative education for a year 14 Dec 2022 Ombudsman’s Annual Report highlights improvements for complainants and local service users The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has published its Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, which details the success of its work to give more complainants a quicker decision on their case. 08 Dec ...

Liverpool criticised by Ombudsman for failing disabled teenage siblings The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Liverpool City Council for not ensuring two teenage siblings with significant needs were provided with the support they should have received for 18 months. The siblings, who have multiple disabilities including visual impairments and complex communication needs, bo ...

Council’s decision-making criticised during school transport investigation The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has asked Staffordshire County Council to reconsider whether it pays for transport to get a teenager, who has autism, to her college some 25 miles away. Since moving to post-16 education, the girl has not received any financial help to get to the college named in her Education ...