London Council Compensates Mother After Social Care Funding Failures
A West London council has been forced to pay £800 to a mother and issue a formal apology after significantly underfunding her child's transition into adult social care services. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation revealed that Hammersmith and Fulham Council failed to provide adequate financial support and caused "undue distress" through delayed responses and administrative errors.
Systemic Failures in Care Planning
The Ombudsman's detailed report outlines how the council received a transition referral in September 2021 for a young adult with learning disabilities, referred to as Y. Despite completing an adult needs assessment in January 2023 and finalizing a care plan that March, the council failed to implement the agreed support properly. The plan recommended five hours of weekly direct payments during term time and eight hours during school holidays, but payment systems were not updated to reflect these changes.
Critical delays in communication and implementation meant that Y did not consistently receive support at the level the council had accepted was necessary to meet assessed needs. The mother, referred to as Ms X, experienced months of uncertainty and was forced to spend considerable time seeking clarification about her child's entitlement to care services.
Extended Period of Underfunding
The investigation found that underfunding occurred between May 2023 and February 2025, affecting the family for nearly two years. When Ms X complained to the council in February 2025, the local authority acknowledged the underfunding but initially offered only £500 for "distress and inconvenience" while requesting evidence of additional care costs before considering full reimbursement.
This inadequate response prompted Ms X to escalate the matter to the Ombudsman in June 2025. The watchdog noted that while Ms X reported using her own funds to pay for additional care, she had not provided documented evidence of these expenses at the time of the investigation.
Council Accepts Responsibility and Implements Changes
A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council stated: "We have sincerely apologised to Ms X and paid the full £800 awarded to acknowledge the impact on her adult child Y's care. We are continuing to work with the family to ensure they are appropriately compensated for the full period affected."
The council has committed to reviewing its procedures for recording and communicating care and support plans, specifically focusing on improving support for young people and their carers during the transition to adult care services. This includes ensuring that payment systems accurately reflect agreed care hours and that families receive timely, clear information about their entitlements.
Legal Obligations and Systemic Implications
Local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide comprehensive care and support plans for residents in need, including personal budgets that enable individuals to arrange their own care through direct payments. The Ombudsman's findings highlight how failures in these systems can have significant consequences for vulnerable individuals and their families.
The report concluded: "The injustice occurred over an extended period and was avoidable. As a result of the faults identified, Ms X experienced uncertainty and was put to avoidable time and trouble in seeking clarification about Y's entitlement."
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of proper administrative processes in social care provision and the need for councils to respond promptly and adequately when families raise concerns about care funding and implementation.
