Service improvements

London Borough of Barnet

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 10 of 18 cases with service improvements

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  • London Borough of Barnet (25 008 917)

    Category: Education Date: 25-Sep-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council failed, for the second time, to put in place the provision for speech and language therapy in her son’s EHC Plan. The Council accepts it failed to ensure the number of sessions in the EHC Plan were provided. That meant Ms X’s son missed out on speech and language therapy provision. An apology, payment to Ms X, arrangements for additional speech and language therapy sessions, training for officers and introduction of a process to monitor issues with provision is satisfactory remedy.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide evidence to the Ombudsman of any process the Council has introduced to monitor provision in EHC Plans and to take action when provision is missing.The Council will also complete a training session for those dealing with EHC Plans to remindthem of the duty to secure special educational needs provision in an EHC Planand what happens when things go wrong.

  • London Borough of Barnet (25 006 800)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 20-Oct-2025

    Summary

    We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of the council tax premium charge on his second home. This is mostly because the Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X and pay him £100 in recognition of the injustice caused. Therefore, investigation by us would not be proportionate.

    Service improvements

    Within 2 months: remindingstaff of the importance of accurate, consistent and timely communication inthese matters.

  • London Borough of Barnet (25 005 308)

    Category: Housing Date: 16-Feb-2026

    Summary

    Miss X complained about how the Council dealt with her request for a domestic abuse floating support officer. There is no evidence the Council offered and withdrew a domestic abuse floating support officer or that an officer dealt with her inappropriately. However, the Council misled Miss X about her eligibility, delayed telling Miss X about the eligibility criteria and delayed changing the male officer allocated to Miss X. That raised Miss X’s expectations and caused her distress. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Miss X, reconsider her eligibility and provide guidance for officers.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide guidance to frontline officers about the qualifying criteria for the domestic abuse floating support service.The Council will review its procedures for allocating male officers to female victims of domestic abuse and vice versa.

  • London Borough of Barnet (25 004 222)

    Category: Housing Date: 24-Dec-2025

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for giving Mr X incorrect information about whether it could offer him financial assistance with securing private rented accommodation. As a result Mr X signed a tenancy agreement he otherwise would not have accepted and has gotten into debt. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X and make a payment to him for the distress caused.

    Service improvements

    Ensure that it reminds staff of the requirements to be considered for financial assistance of the private rental scheme so other are not misadvised.

  • London Borough of Barnet (25 002 306)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 02-Feb-2026

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to provide information about the amount payable for her father’s care fees and delayed completing a financial assessment and in requesting payments. We have found the Council at fault in the delay in providing the outcome of a financial assessment and failures in communication. This meant Miss X received a large, backdated bill for care fees which caused her distress. The Council agreed to apologise, agree an affordable repayment plan and make a symbolic payment to Miss X.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review its procedure to ensure contact with service users, their families and/or representatives is made in a timely manner to notify them about accruing care fees.

  • London Borough of Barnet (25 000 158)

    Category: Housing Date: 03-Feb-2026

    Summary

    Ms X complained about the Council’s actions when she found out she was going to be evicted and it placed her in temporary homeless accommodation. She also complained about how it handled her housing register reassessment request. We found fault because of poor communication from the Council, a delayed suitability assessment of her accommodation and it not reviewing documents it said it would. This caused Ms X avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council will apologise to Ms X, make a payment to her and share guidance with its officers.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share the Ombudsman’s focus report - unsuitable temporary accommodation: guide for practitioners (issued May 2023) with relevant staff, managers and directors. This will help to ensure relevant staff are fully aware of their responsibilities relating to the suitability of temporary homeless accommodation.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 022 844)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 21-Nov-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained about how the Council dealt with her concerns and complaints about noise disturbance from a school near her home. There were some faults by the Council with how it dealt with Ms X’s case and its poor communication with her. This caused injustice to Ms X. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    •as offered, provide evidence the Council’s internal procedures for logging and tracking reports/complaints have been reviewed and improved to prevent similar errors in the future including sharing the lessons learnt from Ms X’s case with relevant staff in their training•ensure the Council adheres to its timescales for closing its service users’ alleged noise nuisance cases and inform them when their cases have been closed, setting out the reasons for the case closure•remind relevant officers of the correct procedure to deal with alleged noise nuisance complaints in line with Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Council should also clearly record how it assesses and decides whether a statutory nuisance exists.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 022 760)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 05-Jan-2026

    Summary

    Miss B complained the Council failed to provide her with a wheelchair for use when she attended a day service. We found the Council to be at fault with the way it responded to the lack of wheelchair provision and its complaint handling. This caused distress and frustration. To remedy the injustice, the Council agreed to apologise, make a symbolic payment and take action to improve its service.

    Service improvements

    By training or other means, the Council will remind relevant officers of the need to ensure complaint handling timescales are complied with.

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 022 083)

    Category: Environment and regulation Date: 02-Oct-2025

    Summary

    Mr D says the Council failed to rectify pavement obstructions near a zebra crossing which causes issue for pedestrians who are visually impaired. I have found the Council at fault. The Council agrees to apologise to Mr D and will offer to meet him to discuss its actions in the case.

    Service improvements

    officers to keep a record of key decision making

  • London Borough of Barnet (24 017 942)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 18-Nov-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council delayed providing accommodation when she presented herself as homeless. She also complained the Council delayed a Child in Care review and failed to progress her stage 2 complaint in a timely manner and under the statutory complaints’ procedure. We found fault in the Council’s failure to use the statutory complaints procedure. The Council’s failure to accommodate Ms X when she first approached the Council as homeless is fault. This caused Ms X to sleep rough for four nights. The Council agreed to apologise to Ms X, pay a financial remedy and carry out service recommendations.

    Service improvements

    Ensure relevant staff are familiar with the Council’s Joint Housing and Children’s Social Care protocol for homeless 16 and 17 year olds.Remind relevant staff that complaints which fall within the remit of the statutory children’s complaints process should be considered under that procedure.

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