The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has taken the unusual step of issuing a further report against South Kesteven District Council for it refusing to pay a remedy to a man who asked for homelessness support.

The Ombudsman found that the council failed to properly consider whether it had a duty to provide the man with accommodation while it processed his homelessness application in early 2024. Despite the man telling the council he had been admitted to hospital and that medical staff believed his housing situation was affecting his health, the council did not demonstrate that it considered the correct legal tests when deciding whether it should offer him interim accommodation.

The law sets a deliberately low bar for councils to provide accommodation whilst considering whether to provide long term housing to an individual. Councils only need to have reason to believe someone may be homeless, eligible and vulnerable. The Ombudsman found evidence South Kesteven consistently applied a much stricter test and also failed to revisit its decision when it received new information about the man’s health conditions and welfare.

In its original report, published in August 2025, the Ombudsman made a number of recommendations to the council. The council has since complied with only two of them and has refused to: apologise to the man, pay him a combined financial remedy of £1,175 for the distress caused and remind its homelessness staff of the correct legal test for interim accommodation

Amerdeep Clarke, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said:

“The duty to provide interim accommodation exists precisely to protect people in situations like the one this man found himself in. The threshold is deliberately low, and councils must apply it correctly.

“The council has told us the correct test was applied but was not recorded properly due to an error in writing rather than consideration. The public have a right to expect public bodies to keep accurate records about them. Accurate record keeping is central to good administrative practice and transparent decision making.

“In this case, not only did South Kesteven District Council leave a vulnerable man sleeping rough when it should have housed him, it has now refused to properly remedy that injustice.

“We do not issue further reports lightly and I would urge the council to reconsider its position and comply with our recommendations.”

Every year sepsis kills more people than cancer. It is the primary cause of preventable death.

Our latest Case Digest highlights investigations where we've found failings in the prevention or treatment of sepsis in healthcare settings. It looks at the recommendations we've made to try and stop these failings re-occurring. 

It is also intended to raise public awareness about sepsis and encourage people to speak up if they have concerns.

31 March 2026

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has appointed Sir Jonathan Jones KCB KC (Hon), Professor Sir Stephen Powis and Dr Mark Chakravarty to its Board as non-executive members.  

Sir Stephen and Dr Chakravarty will join the Board on 1 April 2026, with Sir Jonathan taking up his role on 1 July 2026. 

The Board provides strategic oversight of PHSO and supports the Ombudsman in ensuring the service operates effectively, independently and in the public interest. 

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Paula Sussex CBE said:

“Sir Jonathan, Sir Stephen and Dr Chakravarty bring a wealth of experience from government, health and the healthcare sector. I’m delighted to welcome them to the Board.  

“Their expertise and passion for public service will be invaluable as we deliver our new strategy, providing the insight, independence and leadership necessary to enhance how we serve the public.  

“As we enter the next phase of our work, our focus continues to be to deliver fair and impartial justice for individuals whilst driving public service improvements and helping public services learn from complaints. 

“I look forward to working with them as we transform PHSO into a first-class complaint handling service that will help improve the user experience for all.” 

From January 2026 all health and social care organisations in Northern Ireland, such as hospitals, GPs, and dentists,  must follow new procedures when dealing with complaints.  Our short video explains more.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has today launched best practice guidance to help adult social care providers deliver fair, transparent and accountable complaints handling – particularly for self-funding care users.

The campaign encourages providers to ensure their complaints processes are clear and accessible - and confidently inform self-funded residents and their families about the LGSCO’s role in independently and impartially reviewing complaints that cannot be resolved. By embedding strong signposting and clear escalation routes, providers can reduce misunderstandings, resolve concerns earlier and demonstrate a positive complaints culture to regulators and prospective customers alike.

To support providers in assessing their current approach, the Ombudsman has developed a new interactive quiz, enabling providers to quickly benchmark their complaints process against best practice. Providers receive tailored feedback and are directed to the Ombudsman’s toolkit, helping them identify clear, practical steps to strengthen their processes.

The toolkit offers detailed guidance and ready-to-use resources to support improvement. Providers are encouraged to use it to review and refine their existing complaints policies with confidence.

The toolkit includes a checklist to help organisations that value accountability review and strengthen their complaints handling processes. It is designed to be proportionate and accessible for providers of all sizes, including smaller independent services.

The toolkit also includes template letters and template complaints policies, alongside practical materials such as a poster and leaflet, enabling providers to clearly demonstrate their commitment to transparent and effective complaints handling to care users and staff.

Providers can access the full guidance and downloadable resources here.

Julie Odams, Chief Executive of the LGSCO, said:

“As the Social Care Ombudsman we independently and impartially investigate unresolved complaints from self-funded care users.

“Our aim with this guidance is not only to support people who use care, but to work constructively with providers to strengthen complaints handling across the sector. A well-managed complaint is an opportunity to learn, improve and build trust.

“For self-funded care recipients and their families, who have not organised their care through their local council, clarity about what happens if something goes wrong can make a real difference to their confidence and peace of mind. For care providers, aligning with our best practice standards will enable them to demonstrate their commitment to transparency, strong leadership and continuous improvement – qualities families actively look for when choosing care.”

“We believe these new tools will help build confidence across the care sector for the benefit of everyone working in or drawing on care services.”

Article date: 25 March 2026