Advice on comparing statistics across years

In 2022-23 we changed our investigation processes, contributing towards an increase in the average uphold rate across all complaints. Consider comparing individual council uphold rates against the average rate rather than against previous years.

In 2020-21 we received and decided fewer complaints than normal because we stopped accepting new complaints for three months due to Covid-19.

London Borough of Ealing

Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics

  • Complaints upheld

    61% of complaints we investigated were upheld.

    This compares to an average of 77% in similar authorities.

    17 upheld decisions

    Adjusted for London Borough of Ealing's population, this is
    4.6 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents
    .

    The average for authorities of this type is
    8.3 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.

    View upheld decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 28 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

  • Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations

    100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.

    This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.

    Statistics are based on a total of 10 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

  • Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council

    In 12% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.

    This compares to an average of 15% in similar authorities.

    2 satisfactory remedy decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 17 detailed investigations for the period between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

    View all satisfactory remedy decisions

Annual letters

We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.

View annual letters

Public reports ?Find out more about public reports

In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against London Borough of Ealing

Ealing council has been criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for leaving a young homeless family in a 10th floor flat with faulty windows for nearly 18 months.

Councils are being urged to check they have adequate information sharing agreements with their service providers, after one council was not able comply with an agreed Ombudsman remedy because it could not get hold of the data needed.

Ealing council has agreed to review whether it works with a home care provider in future after it was found to have falsified records during an Ombudsman investigation.

London Borough of Ealing did not carry out adequate assessments of the support a disabled mother needed when her young son moved from nursery to school, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.

A mother and her five children were accommodated in a damp and mouldy single bedroom, too small for the number of people, by Ealing council while it took too long to decide their homelessness status.

There was a lack of effective partnership working between two west London authorities when supporting a woman at risk of domestic violence, says a Local Government Ombudsman report.

6

Public reports for London Borough of Ealing

View all

Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements

Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.

Case reference: 22 015 384

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Homelessness

  • The Council will review how it can improve information sharing between its Housing and Temporary Accommodation Team to ensure changes in Notice to Quit processes are communicated without delay to applicants.
  • The Council will remind officers to adhere to timescales agreed with applicants to respond, take actions, or seek approvals from managers to avoid unnecessary uncertainty or heightened expectations.

Case reference: 22 014 730

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Allocations

  • The Council will remind staff of deadlines for responding to review requests, and fully note and demonstrate how decisions are reached when considering advice from medical advisors, for example the weight given to the advice, and what other considerations were taken into account.

Case reference: 22 008 400

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Allocations

  • The Council will ensure notes are kept from the fortnightly bed-and-breakfast meetings.
  • The Council will send a reminder to officers dealing with homeless families in bed-and-breakfast accommodation to ensure they are aware that:efforts should be made to move families out of bed-and-breakfast accommodation and it should not be left until the end of the six week period before attempts are made to source alternative accommodation; andfor families in bed-and-breakfast accommodation that have received an offer of a housing association property officers should liaise with the housing association to ensure moves are prioritised so families do not remain in bed-and-breakfast accommodation for longer than six weeks when they have accepted an offer of a housing association property.

Case reference: 22 013 646

Category: Education

Sub Category: School transport

  • The Council was at fault for the way it considered an appeal about school transport assistance. The Council will remind officers of the importance of conducting appeals in accordance with its published policy.

Case reference: 21 018 085

Category: Benefits and tax

Sub Category: Housing benefit and council tax benefit

  • The Council has agreed to check that no other tenant has been affected in this way by the restructure in 2021.

Case reference: 21 016 388

Category: Children's care services

Sub Category: Other

  • The Council agreed to remind relevant staff of the Council’s obligations to escalate complaints to stages 2 and 3 of the statutory children's complaints procedures, if that is the complainant’s wishes.

Case reference: 21 005 104

Category: Benefits and tax

Sub Category: Council tax

  • Make amendments to its decision template letter to ensure applicants are signposted to the ValuationTribunal Service and informed of their right of appeal.

Case reference: 20 014 214

Category: Adult care services

Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

  • Ensure that complaints are not dismissed without proper consideration.

Case reference: 20 013 749

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Homelessness

  • The Council will remind staff they should consider the affordability of someone's temporary accommodation, and whether they are eligible for a discretionary housing payments at an early stage, before they accrue considerable rent arrears.
  • The Council will remind staff they must act promptly when they receive a change of circumstances notification for a housing application.

Case reference: 20 012 435

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Homelessness

  • The Council agreed to remind officers in its housing department of the importance of making suitably prompt enquiries and meeting statutory deadlines.

41

Service improvements agreed by London Borough of Ealing

View all

Last updated: 4 April 2015

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