The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, We are the final stage for complaints about councils, all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies) and some other organisations providing local public services. We are a f...
Most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. Consumers frequently highlighted the exceptionally poor service, pointing out that response times took many frustrating months or even years to arrive without proper updates or clear explanations. People frequently mentioned that communication could be improved, noting that some concerns felt overlooked and that greater transparency would be appreciated.
Some reviewers were happy with the staff, noting polite interactions and isolated instances where investigations were handled smoothly and justice was successfully served. A few individuals also found the initial communication pleasant before encountering deeper procedural frustrations and template responses during their appeals.
The LGSCO’s latest Annual Report reveals they are funded by a £12.5 million grant from the public purse, with £10.95 million spent on staffing. Despite their own accounts stating that each case costs the taxpayer an average of £887, my experience suggests this money is being wasted on a "reject-by-default" culture.
I raised a specific, nuanced query regarding the Council’s corporate accounting methodology and transparency—a clear matter of local government administration. Instead of a reasoned legal determination, I was met with three successive template responses. When I challenged this, Intake Team Manager Andrew Grice issued a "final" refusal to correspond further, effectively deadlocking the case without ever addressing the point of law raised.
It is a disgrace that a public body, costing nearly £900 per case, uses its resources to insulate itself from accountability rather than investigating systemic maladministration. They are failing their statutory duty under the Local Government Act 1974 while hiding behind a "finality" clause to silence legitimate grievances.
I am now escalating this service failure to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Taxpayers deserve an ombudsman that investigates, not one that manages its backlog by issuing formulaic rejections.
I have escalated numerous complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and it has become abundantly clear that this organisation is incompetent, slapdash, extremely immoral, and bends over backwards for extremely unscrupulous Councils. I really don't know how some of its so-called "investigators" live with themselves.
The wisest approach would be to seek redress through the courts.
I am extremely disappointed with my experience with the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman regarding two SEND complaints. Despite providing detailed evidence and referencing the specific legal duties under the SEND Regulations 2014 and Children & Families Act 2014, key issues were dismissed or misunderstood.
For Child 1, the Ombudsman overlooked clear evidence that the final EHCP was issued 14 weeks after the draft, even though the legal limit is 8 weeks. I submitted this evidence before the decision was made, yet they stated it “fell outside the timeframe.” It didn’t. The explanation of staff sickness should not excuse statutory deadlines.
For Child 2, the Ombudsman dismissed the fact that the annual review was late for the second consecutive year, ignoring that the Local Authority is legally responsible for ensuring annual reviews are held within 12 months (Reg 20). They also accepted the LA issuing a final EHCP with **none** of the professional updates, including missing OT and SALT recommendations, outdated assessments, incorrect year group, and no progress from the previous year.
I escalated both complaints to an Assessment Manager, which took extra time, but her responses were brief, dismissive, and made it clear she had not properly read my escalation or the evidence attached.
The delays have pushed back my right to appeal by many months, and my child’s Tribunal is now scheduled for late 2025. This is the predictable consequence of missed statutory deadlines, yet the Ombudsman dismissed this too.
My experience has shown a worrying lack of understanding of SEND law and a willingness to accept Local Authority explanations without proper scrutiny. The system urgently needs reform so that children with special educational needs and disabilities are properly protected and Local Authorities are held accountable when they fail to meet their legal duties.
我最近发现Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman是一个BIASED AND RACIST ORGANISATIONS，打着公正公平的幌子运作。政府浪费在这些无生产力的组织上的钱，本可以用来改善学校和医院的恶劣条件。
调查员联系LEWISHAM COUNCIL获取我案件的信息，我的案件已经等待分配数月。几天后，他显然收了Lewisham Council的贿赂，在没有有效理由的情况下关闭了我的案件，甚至没有联系我讨论为什么无法调查。
调查员决定不联系我就关闭案件，是因为他从Lewisham Council收到的文件中知道，Lewisham路径上很可能存在多项失职，而且之前的投诉已发现多项失职但未得到适当补救，这会真正暴露Lewisham Council的无能以及他们如何辜负弱势成人和儿童。这项服务应该被废除/取消，因为它完全是个骗局，浪费纳税人金钱。
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