How to Complain Are you thinking of complaining to us? Resources on this page explain when you should register a complaint with us and how to do it in the most efficient way Watch our video Read the steps The Steps 1 Complain to the organisation involved You should complain to the organisation first to give them a chance to sort out your problem. You should go through all stages of the organisati ...

How to Complain Are you thinking of complaining to us? Resources on this page explain when you should register a complaint with us and how to do it in the most efficient way Watch our video Read the steps The Steps 1 Complain to the organisation involved You should complain to the organisation first to give them a chance to sort out your problem. You should go through all stages of the organisati ...

Care home owners refuse to refund family despite investigation finding mother was neglected A Yorkshire care provider has been heavily criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after workers abused and neglected an elderly resident in the Bradford home it ran. The woman, who had dementia, moved to live in Hawthornes Care Home, run by Burlington Care, after her husband became se ...

Ombudsman urges councils to scrutinise services for children in care The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is highlighting the experiences of children in the care system – and the difficulties they face when councils get things wrong. In a new report published today, the Ombudsman is sharing the cases of children who have been let down by the very authorities who should be looking after ...

Assessment Manual Contents: Chapter index for Assessment Manual Updated: 05 January 2026 Assessment Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 6 • 5. Early Discretionary Decisions Cases passing the jurisdictional tests in the Assessment Code must then be assessed using the four discretionary tests: Public interest Injustice Fault Remedy In some cases, the combined effect of two or more ...

Adult social care complaints – frequently asked questions Why have you sent this complaint to me as the registered care provider? The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has powers to investigate complaints made by people who self-fund their care or have arranged it themselves. This means they are in a direct contractual arrangement with you as their care provider. If instead their ...

Complaint Handling Code Contents: Chapter index for Complaint Handling Code Updated: 01 February 2024 Complaint Handling Code search Search this content Submit search Part 1 • Introduction Background Good complaint handling requires effective procedures and well-trained staff alongside a positive complaints culture that enables those procedures to achieve maximum impact. This code sets out what a ...

External consultations and inquiries 2025 September - LGSCO response to the MHCLG consultation on the Local Government Outcomes Framework September - LGSCO response to the MHCLG consultation on Changing the way government allocates Disabled Facilities Grant funding to local authorities in England August - LGSCO response to the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into Home to School Transport August ...

Assessment Manual Contents: Chapter index for Assessment Manual Updated: 05 January 2026 Assessment Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 3 • 2. Assessment Policy 2.1 Aims The aim of Assessment is to decide: “Should we start an investigation into this complaint?” or conversely “Is there a defensible reason we should not investigate this complaint?” Assessment Investigators will mak ...

Retention and disposal of casework records policy Contents: Chapter index for Retention and disposal of casework records policy Updated: 19 November 2025 Retention and disposal of casework records policy search Search this content Submit search Part 5 • 5. Exceptions to the 12-month retention period In exceptional cases, all or part of the file will be retained for a longer period because: it is ...