Local government watchdog urges councils to act as complaints about social care rise by almost a quarter

Adult social care; photograph Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

Complaints about adult social care rise 22% annually

Complaints about adult social care in England rose by 22% last year, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Annual Review of Adult Social Care Complaints 2025-26.

According to the report, published on 24 September, the Ombudsman’s office received 3,938 complaints and enquiries about adult social care in general in 2025-26, an increase from the previous year.

In the independent sector, complaints from people who fund their own care also rose by 10% to 368.

The Ombudsman said this reflects a welcome increase in public awareness of the right to complain, though it remains concerned that too few people who fund their own care come forward given the scale of privately arranged care across the country.

Hounslow House (L); photograph Juliet McDonald; Ealing Council offices

LB Hounslow and LB Ealing have both been criticised by the Ombudsman for failing vulnerable people

The Ombudsman has repeatedly found fault with both Hounslow and Ealing councils for their provision of adult social care.

In July they criticised Hounslow for its failure to assess the needs of a man who needed care and they found fault with Hounslow for the way they dealt with an elderly woman who needed support with care.

READ ALSO: Local Government Ombudsman finds Hounslow failed in its duty of care to a vulnerable man

READ ALSO: Local Government Ombudsman criticises Hounslow Council for the way it dealt with an elderly woman who needed care

In the same month the education regulator Ofsted criticised Ealing for its inconsistent safeguarding of children.

READ ALSO: Ealing Council failing children at risk says Ofsted

READ ALSO: Ealing Council criticised by Ombudsman for leaving family in ‘unsafe’ flat

Of the 904 cases the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated in the past year, 77% were upheld.

‘The high rate of compliance with Ombudsman recommendations was maintained’, the report says, ‘with 99.8% of cases being completed to the Ombudsman’s satisfaction’.

Positively, around a third (33%) of upheld complaints about private social care providers had already been suitably remedied by the organisation before the Ombudsman investigated, a 13-percentage-point rise on the previous year.

Ombudsman Amerdeep Clarke

“Use the learning in this report to improve services now”

The Ombudsman, Amerdeep Clarke, has sent a message to councils and care providers that they should learn from the experience to improve their services:

“We are seeing welcome signs of improvement in how councils and care providers handle complaints, but there is still more to be done. My message to the sector is simple: use the learning in this report to improve services now, rather than waiting for wider changes to the care system that are currently under discussion.

“Councils should ensure the care providers they commission have current policies in place that reflect best practice, including clear signposting to us as the final step in the complaints process.

READ ALSO: There is a ‘once-in-a-generation’ chance to fix broken public services says Local Government Ombudsman

“And for care providers, dealing with complaints properly isn’t just the right thing to do, it is fundamental to fostering excellent relations with your clients, families, and the wider communities in which you operate.

“Handling a complaint well protects your reputation, and where you have already investigated and appropriately remedied an issue, this can mean a full Ombudsman investigation isn’t needed.

“Behind every one of these numbers is a person, a family or a carer trying to get things back on track after something has gone wrong. Getting the fundamentals right: clear records, honest explanations and proper signposting to our service, protects everyone: the people who rely on care, and the organisations providing it.”

Hounslow Council says it has implemented changes in response to criticisms

Hounslow Council says it has implemented changes in response to the criticisms made by the Ombudsman in specific cases.

With reference to the two most recent cases, a Council spokesperson told The Chiswick Calendar:

“The Council has also reviewed its processes, ensuring all ongoing referrals are logged and supported by a new online portal that tracks each case and improves response times. The current system of generating a care and support plan when a client declines, is also under review.”

They have also reviewed their Financial Assessment Process.

How to complain about unsatisfactory social care

For more than 50 years the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has carried out free, independent and impartial investigations of complaints about councils and adult social care providers.

‘We do not take sides. Where we find fault, we recommend fair remedies. Where we see wider or systemic issues, we recommend changes to policy and practice that help improve services for everyone, not just the person who complained’.

The Ombudsman offers advice about how to make a complaint about social care here:

lgo.org.uk/how-to-complain