Service improvements

London Borough of Enfield

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 12 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for London Borough of Enfield as a CSV file.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 008 870)

    Category: Housing Date: 25-Mar-2026

    Summary

    There was fault by the Council. It failed to process her homelessness application; it did not properly consider its duties; nor communicate with Miss X clearly and in good time. The Council’s shortcomings caused Miss X distress, frustration and uncertainty. It should apologise to her, make a symbolic payment, and remind staff of the expectations of government guidance.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remindrelevant staff, by way of a briefing note or training session, of Chapter 6of the Homelessness Code of Guidance and:a) to properly consider whether it is reasonable to expect an applicantto stay in a property when a section 21 notice has expired and possessionproceedings are in progress, and its relief duty and to keep a note of how itreached its decision;b) to keep in contact with applicants while possession proceedings areongoing so it can review its decision on whether it is reasonable for them toremain in the property; and c) to keep records of contacts with applicants and its decision making.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 008 541)

    Category: Education Date: 17-Dec-2025

    Summary

    The Ombudsman completed an investigation into the Council handling of education transport. We asked the Council questions about the widespread impact of its policy. The Council was at fault. Its policy does not detail a parent must agree to a personal transport budget. The Council agreed to amend its policy and factsheet to confirm a parent must agree to any alternative arrangements for education transport.

    Service improvements

    •Rewrite the factsheets to make it clear a personal travel budget is available if the parent agrees.•Rewrite the policy to make it clear a personal travel budget is available if the parent agrees.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 004 523)

    Category: Education Date: 08-Dec-2025

    Summary

    There was fault in the way the Council considered an application for home to school transport made on the grounds of special educational needs and disability. The Council delayed carrying out an individual assessment of the child’s ability to walk the distance required, wrongly relying on an expectation the parent drive the child. As a result, transport support was delayed, causing distress, inconvenience and expense to the parent. The Council has agreed to refund Ms X’s mileage, make a symbolic payment for the distress and inconvenience caused and make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff and panel members who make decisions on school transport applications of the importance of clearly setting out their reasons and what they have considered, making sure they have addressed all elements of law, policy and statutory guidance relevant to the individual application. The Council may wish to consider the use of pre-populated forms, prompts or checklists to assist officers.The Council will ensure it carries out individual assessments of need where an application is made on SEN/disability grounds at the time the application is received and not rely solely on information in EHC Plans.

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 004 341)

    Category: Housing Date: 30-Sep-2025

    Summary

    We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of her homelessness application. This is because the Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X, pay her £300 and progress her current homelessness application without further delay. Therefore, an investigation by us would not be proportionate.

    Service improvements

    Ensure, by a staff briefing, staff training or changing procedures, that all applicants who meet the threshold for homelessness inquiries receive written decisions including their review rights

  • London Borough of Enfield (25 002 515)

    Category: Education Date: 07-Jan-2026

    Summary

    There was fault by the Council, because it cannot show it properly followed the legal process when refusing an application for school transport. The Council has agreed to write a formal letter of apology for this, and take steps to ensure its staff understand and can apply the law when making similar decisions in future.

    Service improvements

    the Council should make arrangements to ensure all relevant staff understand the practical implications of the case of Dudley and other case law concerning school transport applications, and are confident in applying it when making decisions.

  • London Borough of Enfield (24 021 742)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 22-Sep-2025

    Summary

    The Council delayed assessing Mrs Y’s contribution to her care charges which resulted in a large debt accruing. It sent an inaccurate letter stating she was to pay the full cost due to her level of savings which caused her distress. It also delayed responding to her daughter, Ms X’s, complaint which caused frustration. The Council has agreed to apologise, make payments and offer a repayment plan to acknowledge the impact of its fault. It will also review its procedures to ensure it follows up financial assessments and that letters accurately reflect the situation.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review its procedures for charging for care to ensure: Where a financial assessment form is not returned within 14 days a reminder is issued or a telephone call made.Full cost letters accurately reflect the situation where a financial assessment form has not been returned, specifically, that the Council has assumed an individual does not wish to disclose their financial situation and is willing to pay the full cost of their care.

  • London Borough of Enfield (24 021 257)

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

    Summary

    There was no fault in the way the Council allocated payments to Ms X’s council tax account or in its decisions to take recovery action. There was fault in the way the Council communicated about the matter. The Council will apologise and make a symbolic payment to Ms X to recognise the avoidable frustration and uncertainty caused by its fault. It will also take steps to prevent recurrence of the same fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will, through a briefing note, remind relevant staff of the importance of clear and timely verbal and written communication in relation to the council tax payment allocation process.

  • London Borough of Enfield (24 017 008)

    Category: Housing Date: 22-Jul-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s decision in response to his suitability review request and the Council’s failure to offer a proper remedy. We found fault with the way the Council reviewed the suitability of Mr X’s accommodation. This fault caused injustice to Mr X which lasted for a few months and was more significant because of Mr X’s individual circumstances. The Council agreed to apologise, complete the remedy it has already offered to Mr X and make an additional distress payment.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review the way it records temporary accommodation suitability reviews to ensure all requests are responded to. The Council will provide the evidence that this has happened.

  • London Borough of Enfield (24 016 501)

    Category: Housing Date: 02-Nov-2025

    Summary

    The Council failed to provide Miss X homelessness accommodation when it should have done and when it did house Miss X, the accommodation was unsuitable. This meant Miss X accrued debt she should not have and has remained in accommodation which does not meet her needs as a Disabled person. Other fault by the Council caused Miss X avoidable frustration and uncertainty. The Council will apologise to Miss X, make a symbolic payment and take action to prevent similar fault in future.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff they must consider all the relevant evidence about a person's needs before placing them in interim and temporary homelessness accommodation, to ensure that accommodation is suitable at the point the offer of accommodation is made.The Council will share a copy of the Ombudsman's guidance Homelessness decisions for Disabled people with relevant staff, if it has not already done so.The Council will send the Ombudsman details of the steps it is taking to increase its stock of interim and temporary accommodation, to meet the increased demand for homelessness housing. The Council will include when it intends to complete the steps and how it will review their effectiveness.The Council will tell staff who deal with housing register allocations that before they suspend a person's right to bid on social housing, they should consider whether a suspension is appropriate in that case. The Council will include the complainant's case as an example of when a suspension is not appropriate.

  • London Borough of Enfield (24 008 846)

    Category: Housing Date: 12-Aug-2025

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for failing to make inquiries when Miss X gave it reason to believe she might be homeless. The Council was also at fault for telling Miss X to approach a different Council, inadequate record keeping and refusing to deal with Miss X’s complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise, investigate Miss X’s case, make a payment to her and act to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide training or guidance to relevant staff on the duty to make inquiries when an applicant gives reason to believe they might to be homeless or threatened with homelessness regardless of questions about local connection or duties owed by another council.The Council has agreed to provide provide training or guidance to relevant staff on the minimum expectations for record keeping and communication with applicants in homeless applications.

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