Travel and subsistence policy Introduction This Policy sets out the rules as to how members of staff can claim for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties for the LGSCO and the details of the principles and rules relating to staff expenses, including taxable staff expenses. The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that employees are properly reimbursed for legitimate business expenses ...

Outsourcing at the root of too many upheld bin collection complaints Councils in England are getting it wrong too often when it comes to waste collection complaints, says the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Its new report - Lifting the lid on bin complaints – shows the Ombudsman upheld 81% of its complaint investigations into council waste and recycling services last year. This shot u ...

Browse Decisions Browse and search our decisions As an open and accountable ombudsman service we are committed to having transparent decision making processes. We publish as many of our decisions as we can. Real names are not used. In certain cases where it is not in the complainant's interest or anonymity may be compromised, we can decide not to publish a decision. We publish decisions six weeks ...

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 ...

Council agrees to review its school transport policy following Ombudsman investigation Sandwell council has agreed to review its school transport policy after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found flaws in the way it considered a family’s application for travel support. The parents applied for transport for their son, who has special needs and attends a school more than three miles ...

Investigation Manual Contents: Chapter index for Investigation Manual Updated: 25 February 2026 Investigation Manual search Search this content Submit search Part 20 • 20. Enquiries of the BinJ 20. Enquiries of the BinJ There is no such thing as an ‘informal’ enquiry in Investigation. There should be a record of every enquiry we make, either in writing or in Notes & Analysis. We should always add ...

Rochdale’s systemic SEND issues highlighted in Ombudsman report Rochdale Borough Council has admitted to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that it has a backlog of nearly 1,500 support plans to review for children with special educational needs and disabilities. To ensure children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan are having their needs met properly, thei ...

Croydon woman’s back broken by home-help device when council withdrew care funding A Croydon woman fractured her spine using a bed turning aid the NHS installed. The council thought this could replace paid care workers for overnight care, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. Croydon council withdrew funding for the woman’s night-time care. The NHS instead installed a turning ...

Halton did not do enough to help homeless domestic abuse survivor Halton Borough Council did not do enough to help a man who approached it for help when he became homeless because of domestic abuse, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. Instead, it closed his case without telling him why or giving him the chance to appeal the decision. The man first approached the council for ...

Man left street homeless by Waltham Forest council for five weeks A domestic abuse survivor was street homeless for five weeks, despite asking London Borough of Waltham Forest for help, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The man asked the council for help in late January and said he could no longer live with relatives who were abusing him. The council did not act, and the m ...