Enforcement agents (bailiffs) This fact sheet is aimed primarily at anyone who is experiencing problems with a bailiff employed by a council or other enforcing authority and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Enforcement agents are what were more commonly known as bailiffs. I have a complaint against an enforcement agent. Can the Ombudsman help me? In some cases, yes. If your ...

Housing benefit claims This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who have problems with a claim for housing benefit (or local housing allowance) and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. The Ombudsman cannot deal with complaints about housing payments made as part of a Universal Credit claim. I have a problem with my hous ...

Infant class size appeals This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents who have appealed for a place in reception, year 1 or year 2, and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Please also read our fact sheet on complaints about school admissions. What is an 'infant class size' appeal? The law states that there must not be more than 30 children in an infant class (that is, cl ...

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 ...

Neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people having problems getting the council to deal with anti-social behaviour near their homes and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. My neighbours are causing me problems with anti-social behaviour, and the council doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it. Can the Ombudsman help me? In m ...

Noise nuisance This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who are concerned that the council is not taking the right action to deal with the noise nuisance they are experiencing and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Organisations the Ombudsman can look at We hold councils to account for services they pay other organisations, including private companies, to carry out on the ...

Homelessness applications This fact sheet is aimed primarily at people who are, or may become, homeless and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. I am homeless or will become homeless soon and the council is not dealing with my application properly. Can the Ombudsman help me? Yes in some circumstances. We can consider your complaint if you have told a council you are homeless or ...

Guidance on remedies Contents: Chapter index for Guidance on remedies Updated: 17 March 2025 Guidance on remedies search Search this content Submit search Part 1 • Our role in remedying and preventing future injustice Updated March 2025 1.1 Our approach to remedies The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman was established some 50 years ago, to conduct independent and impartial investigations ...

Councils' care of 'looked after' children This fact sheet is aimed primarily at parents and young people who have concerns about the way a child or young person is being cared for by the local authority and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. The council is not looking after a child in its care properly. Can the Ombudsman help? In many cases, yes. A child may be ‘looked after’ ...

LGSCO & HOS Joint working operating procedure Overview The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) are committed to working together where there is a strong overlap on housing issues. The LGSCO investigates complaints about most council services while the HOS investigates complaints and resolves disputes involving the tenants and leaseholders of ...