Summary: Mrs F complains the Council has failed to assess Mr G’s needs properly and has failed to provide him with a personal budget which is sufficient to meet his needs.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found fault causing injustice.

Recommendations

The Council has agreed to:

• backdate Mr G’s initial personal budget to the date Mrs F told the Council his capital had fallen below £23,250;
• backdate the additional funding agreed for the morning call in 2020 to the middle of September 2019;
• pay Mr G £200 to remedy the injustice caused by the failure to meet his need for help with housework and domestic tasks;
• write to Mrs F apologising for the failings we have identified and pays her £250 for the time and trouble it has put her to in pursuing the complaint; 
• reassess Mr G’s needs addressing the need for help maintaining a habitable home and update his care and support plan;
• report to us the action it has taken to ensure:
  • more joined up working between departments so that when someone reports capital falling below £23,250 they are referred for an assessment;
  • assessments address the need for help achieving the outcome of maintaining a habitable home without taking account of the support already in place and people are provided with the support they need and not told to pay for it themselves;
  • officers always produce and retain a care and support plan when required.

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 19 January 2021.

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