Charging and financial assessment Archives - Centre for Adults' Social Care - Analysis, Information and Dispute Resolution

Somerset Council reprimanded for withdrawing care from a person at home, who held a share of land, the value of which was not readily realisable for payment of her care charges

Date of decision: 12 May 2025 SummaryA daughter complained that the Council wrongly withdrew an elderly woman’s home care package without assessing how her ongoing needs would be met until jointly owned land could be sold. The family lacked any liquid funds or capacity to arrange the sale herself, leaving her care needs unmet and […]

Somerset Council reprimanded for withdrawing care from a person at home, who held a share of land, the value of which was not readily realisable for payment of her care charges Read More »

Avery Homes (Nelson) Limited criticised for failures in medication management, cleanliness and person‑centred care for a blind resident

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE Providers' 'Fault', Issues of importance to social care service providers, Providers' Fault LGO / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 12 March 2026 SummaryA woman complained that Avery Homes (Nelson) Ltd, which runs Avalon Court Care Home, failed properly to administer her elderly blind mother’s prescribed medication, maintain hygiene standards, and provide care adapted to her visual impairment, and then gave inconsistent accounts when she challenged this. What happenedIn early May 2025, the care provider, Avery Homes (Nelson) Ltd, carried

Avery Homes (Nelson) Limited criticised for failures in medication management, cleanliness and person‑centred care for a blind resident Read More »

Hertfordshire County Council delayed financial assessment, and wrongly raised expectations about waiver of old care charges

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 30 March 2026 SummaryA daughter complained that the Council broke a clear written promise not to backdate her mother’s care home charges while it investigated a complex financial assessment. She said she would have made different decisions about her mother’s care, save for the Council’s promise. What happenedMrs Y, an older woman

Hertfordshire County Council delayed financial assessment, and wrongly raised expectations about waiver of old care charges Read More »

Richmond upon Thames LBC obliged to provide restitution for wrongfully having tried to make a service user pay rent for s117 aftercare accommodation

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, How Children's Services fit in with the Care Act (and transitioning from Children's Services, How the Care Act fits in with the Mental Health Act (and s117 aftercare), Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE SEN/EHCPS, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE the interface between Care Act rights and the Mental Health Act, Mental Health Act LGO, SEN/EHCPS LGO / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 29 March 2026 Summary This report is the latest in a long line of reports, now, concerning how councils (this one Richmond) tend to handle funding for a young woman’s specialist supported accommodation after she left a long inpatient stay under the Mental Health Act and became entitled to free section 117

Richmond upon Thames LBC obliged to provide restitution for wrongfully having tried to make a service user pay rent for s117 aftercare accommodation Read More »

Leicestershire County Council at fault for poor communication about Section 117 aftercare top-up payments

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, How the Care Act fits in with the Mental Health Act (and s117 aftercare), Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE the interface between Care Act rights and the Mental Health Act, Mental Health Act LGO / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 24 February 2026 SummaryA daughter complained on behalf of her elderly mother about the Council’s and ICB’s handling of s117 aftercare funding for a care home placement after psychiatric hospital discharge. The family chose a preferred care home requiring a top-up payment, but poor communication about operation of top-up arrangements and delayed

Leicestershire County Council at fault for poor communication about Section 117 aftercare top-up payments Read More »

Rochdale MBC found at fault for failing to send care and support plans, and lack of effective communication

Leave a Comment / Care Planning, Budgets and Choice Rights, Care Plans and Cuts LGO, Direct Payments and Personal Health Budgets, Direct Payments LGO, Disability Related Expenditure, DRE LGO, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE care planning, and personal budgets, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE Direct Payments, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE disability related expenditure / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 22 January 2026 SummaryThe Council mishandled an elderly couple’s adult social care charges by failing to supply their care and support plans and personal budgets, delaying financial assessments, and communicating poorly, leaving the son managing their affairs in distress and uncertainty over unexpected contributions exceeding £4,000. What happenedIn September 2023, the Council

Rochdale MBC found at fault for failing to send care and support plans, and lack of effective communication Read More »

Liverpool City Council responsible for communication failures regarding hospital discharge, D2A, charging and care home placement

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, Hospital LGO, How NHS services and Continuing NHS Health Care fit in with the Care Act, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE Hospital and CHC / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 29 January 2026 SummaryMr X complained that Liverpool City Council failed to explain that a short-term residential placement arranged for his elderly father, Mr Z, under the discharge-to-assess (D2A) Protocol would become chargeable after the initial period. The Ombudsman found the Council did not provide clear or timely information about charging, which

Liverpool City Council responsible for communication failures regarding hospital discharge, D2A, charging and care home placement Read More »

Bromley LBC at fault for delays and poor communication in safeguarding enquiry and charging decisions, post-hospital discharge

Date of decision: 19 January 2026 SummaryA son complained about the Council’s handling of safeguarding enquiries and charging decisions for his mother after her hospital discharge. The Council failed to keep him updated during the safeguarding process, failed to promptly assess and cancel charges, and provided unclear or incomplete explanations. What happenedMs Y was admitted

Bromley LBC at fault for delays and poor communication in safeguarding enquiry and charging decisions, post-hospital discharge Read More »

Ombudsman strongly critical of Medway Council’s “Charge Now, Assess Later” approach to social care

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, Complaints System and the Ombudsmen, Council's Complaint Procedure LGO, Failings to Assess, Reassess, Review LGO, How the Mental Capacity Act affects the Care Act, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE 'Fault' in the context of how councils run complaints internally, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE Failings to Assess, Reassess, Review, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE mental capacity and best interests decision-making, Mental Capacity LGO, Reviews and Revisions (cuts or changes to content) / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 02 February 2026 SummaryAn elderly woman, who had dementia, received chargeable home care after a free post-hospital discharge six‑week enablement package ended, even though her representative believed she ( the representative) had specifically refused ongoing paid support, using her legal authority. The Council had accepted the woman had capacity and relied on

Ombudsman strongly critical of Medway Council’s “Charge Now, Assess Later” approach to social care Read More »

Kingston upon Thames lightly criticised for communication failures about charging for Care Home care regarding a man with a chaotic home, but presumed capacitated for decision-making

Leave a Comment / Charging and financial assessment, Charging LGO, Failings to Assess, Reassess, Review LGO, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE charging and financial assessment, Intro to Ombudsman reports RE Failings to Assess, Reassess, Review, Reviews and Revisions (cuts or changes to content) / Aidan Miller

Date of decision: 11 November 2025 SummaryA man in poor health was discharged from hospital to a care home because his house was dangerously cluttered and in disrepair. He consented to stay in the home and had mental capacity, but the Council did not properly explain to him that ongoing care would be chargeable, even

Kingston upon Thames lightly criticised for communication failures about charging for Care Home care regarding a man with a chaotic home, but presumed capacitated for decision-making Read More »