Date of decision: 28 May 2026 SummaryA woman was discharged from hospital into a residential care home after a stroke, needing double hoisting, with the Council arranging and funding the placement under the Care Act. The home chosen by the family charged more than the Council’s “usual” rate, and instead of ensuring at least one […]
Date of decision 21 November 2025 SummaryAn individual’s family said the Council misled them about care home options, funding, and top-up fees, then sent a shock invoice for over £50,000 in alleged third party top-ups. The Ombudsman found the Council’s assessment, advice and explanations about care options and liability to pay were broadly sound, but
Date of decision: 23 October 2025 SummaryAn individual’s estate complained that the Council had arranged a care home place without offering any option within the personal budget and then treated an expensive “top up” as unavoidable. What happenedIn early November 2023, an older woman living in her own home with a care package was admitted
Date of decision: 20 April 2026 SummaryThe complaint challenged the Council’s timeliness, involvement, consideration of a preferred provider and complaint handling after an urgent review request about an adult daughter’s long‑term care; the Ombudsman found no fault, concluding the Council completed assessment and care planning within acceptable times, involved Ms Y and her mother throughout
Date of decision: 23 March 2026 Summary A husband of a care home resident complained that the Council increased the rate it paid to his wife’s care home by only 2%, while other care homes with whom it was contracting received a 5% uplift. This created an unsustainable increase in the top-up fees he was
Date of decision: 10 December 2025 Summary An elderly woman with memory and cognitive difficulties received poor quality home care from a Council‑commissioned provider, including repeated medication errors and undercooked food, leading to a substantiated safeguarding finding. The Council then mishandled respite and permanent placement arrangements: it delayed securing respite, failed to explain or offer
Date of decision: 15 December 2025 SummaryA daughter challenged Essex Council’s handling of her late mother’s residential care charges after her mother, a woman with dementia, moved permanently into a care home. The Council did not promptly or clearly explain how much would be charged, changed the rate after internal discussions with the care home,
Date of decision: 31 October 2025 SummaryA daughter complained about unsafe, undignified dementia care for her mother in a Council‑commissioned care home, including repeated falls, poor communication, and disputed use of medication. The Ombudsman found the Council’s commissioning and complaint handling left the family carrying avoidable distress and uncertainty over whether safer care and a
Date of decision: 25 November 2025 SummaryA son complained that the Council wrongly charged his late father for residential care home fees and should have funded his placement under s117 Mental Health Act instead. The Ombudsman found the Council had clearly explained charges and funding options, correctly applied the Mental Health Act rules on aftercare,
Date of decision: 21 July 2025 SummaryA complaint was made by Mr X and his mother, Ms Y, against the Council for repeated delays in assessing his care needs and sourcing suitable accommodation, as well as procrastination in pursuing a vacant placement at a preferred setting. What happenedIn November 2022, Ms Y, the mother of