LG & SC Ombudsman Arvostelua 

They made the process of logging a complaint very user-unfriendly with their online form. It is very difficult to attach emails, etc. When I called to request an email address (as I did not receive a response to a message I sent online) to forward all my communication with the body I complained about, after listening to all the options, they said they were unable to take my call and to call later. Very poor and feels like they made it difficult on purpose to discourage people from complaining. They should be ashamed.

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the LA issuing a final EHCP with **none** of the professional updates, including missing OT and SALT recommendations, outdated assessments, incorrect year group, and no progress from the previous year.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.

If I could zero stars I would. I submitted a complaint earlier on this year which they wouldn’t accept as I hadn’t completed the councils complaints process- fair enough. I did then complete the councils complaints process and submitted a more robust complaint to the Ombudsman with plenty of evidence. Guess what they did- they only went and merged my two complaints together and investigated my original complaint. The outcome- you need to complete the councils complaints process. Absolute waste of time and not fit for purpose. They are difficult to get hold of, they ignore you, they don’t reply to any case messages you submit and just accept what the council tells them without question. There needs to be a public enquiry about them

They were nice. Ultimately what’s the point of thi organisation if they allow a council to openly discriminate against a disabled person for the type of housing they need, allow failure to spot an updated document and query why because they council state themselves it wouldn’t have changed anything - how would you know if you didn’t spot or query it? And to fail to safeguard a person they have a duty of care to.
How is a risk to life evidenced by medical professionals not a band a, when that is literally the category.
What is the point in a senior body that allows the council to make their own policies that discriminate against vulnerable people against medical advise, and allows failures because they decide it isn’t a failure. I’m sure if something happens it will be the usual lessons will be learned rubbish.

This is a big corrupt organisation, ran by ex local authority workers, who ignore evidence and facts and never properly investigate complaints.

I have raised serious issues with Tower Hamlets and have been ignored. I requested for my complaint to be reviewed again by the chief ombudsman and the case investigator to this day has ignored my request.

We don't need a organisation like this around anymore, needs to be shut down with immediate effect. I think the reviews here speak for themselves.

Don't waste your time taking your complaint to them, just take it straight to court

LGSCO struggle to comprehend laws and apply, 1st time I used them, there was difficulties understanding the term extricibly linked to tribunal and again another struggle to enforce the equality act connected to council providing free school meals to children who meet the criteria. They state not all EOTAS children are entitled to FSM, correct and agree with this but the children who are entitled to fsm in school would still be entitled with EOTAS. It is legal statutory to apply the equality act.

Then it is a privilege. Considering how long some consumers have waited before allocation of their cases, I'm the lucky one. Shot down before any effing consideration. LGSCO as much corrupted the Police is. Both refused to investigate a ( mr ) Crook whom broke the Law, and the Director whom signed that broken law apparently is not even (mr) Worth it of a prosecution. What to add to that? Encore une foi : Absolute 💩 No much to talk about it because whatever shape or form 💩 is 💩. LGSCO has to be the worst between these Ombudsmans and clearly is the mistress of the Councils. 50 yrs old reduced to sell itself for pennies. Used and Abused for free.
An O instead of the G and losco.
Italian for Sinister Shady Disreputable. How appropriate.
To you all, i feel you. Stay safe we'll be alright.

Contacted LGO after dealing with the council who were evasive. LGO ruled completely against me and came out with statutory information which was inaccurate. LGO told me that I can do a judicial review which will cost thousands of pounds which is unhelpful to put it mildly. They blamed everything on a contractor and told me that it’s nothing to do with them even though they employ the contractor. Complete waste of time for such a long drawn out process, it gave me a headache.

More red tape than a John Lewis haberdashery department

I Recently found out that The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is a BIASED AND RACIST ORGANISATIONS Operating under the PRETENSE of being impartial and fair. The money that the Government WASTE ON THESE TYPE OF NON PRODUCTIVE ORGANISATIONS COULD BE USE TO IMPROVE POOR CONDITIONS IN SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS.

The Investigator contacted LEWISHAM COUNCIL FOR INFORMATION REGARDING MY CASE THAT HAS BEEN WAITING ON ALLOCATION FOR MONTHS. A few days later he clearly took BRIBE from Lewisham Council to Close my Case without Valid REASON or even contacting me to discuss why he wasn’t able to investigate.
The reason the Investigator decided to close the Case without even contacting me is because he knew from the documents received from Lewisham council that there’s a good prospect of finding multiple Failings on Lewisham path and because the previous complaint found multiple failing without appropriate redress, it would really show up Lewisham Council incompetence and how they are failing Vulnerable Adults and Children. This service needs to be abolished/ scrapped as it’s an absolute sham and a waste of taxpayer money.

Terrible, took nearly 7 months to allocate an officer to review my case, I actually think they forgot about it and just wanted me out of the way. My dispute was over planning, they went from telling me there was a case to answer by the council and then at the 11th hour changed their minds saying I lived too far away from the subject civic building. I live 300 meters away, they wouldn't then consider my submission. I asked for justification for their response and where was the specified distance written down. They refused to answer me. Their procedures talk of transparency and open communications with the public. These are merely words. To describe them in a word.....Arrogant.

Not impartial from the beginning. Didn't consider any of my evidence. Just put down everything the Council said and nothing about what I said. No point having a draft decision when they don't bother looking at comments like they claim they do. They didn't change anything for the final decision even when I had provided proof in the form of emails. The Investigators manual isn't being followed at all.

I have submitted several complaints to the Ombudsman — all related to my child’s EHCP and social care package. In every case there was a clear fault on the part of the Council. Unfortunately, the Ombudsman now appears to be siding with the Council.

I have seen draft decisions where the Ombudsman seemed to make up their own rules. By law, the local authority must provide the provision ordered by the Tribunal within five weeks of the order date, but the Ombudsman stated that the Council could take at least three months to provide this provision.

Hydrotherapy was not provided by the Council for more than 12 months, yet the Ombudsman said this was acceptable because no local hydrotherapy was available — even though I had specifically requested a personal budget to arrange it myself. These are only examples.

Each time, I had to request an independent, final Ombudsman decision, and fortunately my requests were upheld, the cases were reopened, and the correct decisions were eventually made.

However, it is deeply worrying and frightening that families must fight even with the Ombudsman — an organisation that is supposed to understand and apply the law fairly, not take the Council’s side against the law. What happens to people who are not as determined as I have been?

Immaculate service from our Investigator who was phenomenal throughout dealing with our case. All the information we sent across was considered thoroughly and we felt very listened to during the entire process as communication was consistent. They act impartially so some elements may not be favourable however, justice was served in our case and highly recommend.

Don't waste your time, they completely protect the council at any cost. Cases are closed at the start, to save investigating serious complaints.

No justice. No equality. Just councils protected at all costs. This organisation doesn’t serve the people, it should be scrapped - complete waste of tax payers money. A joke of an organisation. A waste of time and public money and they don't even review the evidence properly.

Zero stars, actually
I was referred to LGO by Glos CC as we could not agree on payment for a bill for my late mothers care (even charged for months after she passed).
According the to LGO they will only take on a case if it was within 12 months of the Councils Complaint process being followed and no agreement. I opened a case with the LGO 2 days after the CC said "go to the ombudsman"....and yet the LGO took 8 weeks then said "sorry you took too long to submit. Closing case". And that...was that. What a complete waste of time. This org should be shut down, as it is wasting time and money.

If I could give zero stars, I would. The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman presents itself as an independent body, but in my experience it’s little more than a rubber stamp for councils. They appear to side with local authorities almost by default, dismissing or downplaying clear evidence of wrongdoing. This service seems designed to give the illusion of accountability while protecting the organisations it’s supposed to scrutinise. For members of the public seeking justice, it’s frustrating, demoralising, and ultimately pointless. I would strongly advise anyone not to pin their hopes on this body — it’s a box-ticking exercise, not a real safeguard.

Wow. I had evidence of extreme bias regarding Lancashire childrens social services. It took them months to even look at the case and when they did they refused to look in to it further and didn't acknowledge the evidence. They're as bent as childrens social services. There's no wonder there's so much child abuse and the country is in such a state. There's no accountability and they need investigating themselves. They're fundamentally here to cover up incompetence and dodgy behaviours of their partners (social services). Everybody on here can't be wrong.

USELESS RE LIVERPOOL SOCIAL SERVICES! MY SISTER PLACED IN NURSING HOME OVER THREE YEARS AGO! SHE NEEDS HIP REPLACEMENT! SHOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT HOSPITAL. NHS AND PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN WERE USELESS. THEN REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OMBUDSMAN WHO SAID ITS NOW TOO LATE. CANNOT GET RECORDS. LEFT ROTTING IN NURSING HOME. TOLD GO FOR TWO WEEKS FREE OF CHARGE. NOW FOURTH BIRTHDAY LYING IN BED

Local authorities refer you to the LG&SCO knowing full well they're not going to do anything, you can almost hear them laughing when they suggest it. Local authorities have nothing to fear from a LGO investigation as they know that they are totally ineffective, incompetent, lethargic and apathetic. Do you think the LGO worry about complains and one star reviews? Of course not they have no customer base or competitors, their funding is guaranteed by the tax payer. Roll on Reform Government i hope they can sort out this mess of an organisation.