The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s experience as a care leaver. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason for the delay in complaining to us.
The complaint
Mr X complained about how the Council handled his case as a care leaver. He states: He was evicted with no housing plan, Had no pathway plan in place for when he turned 18; and The support provided by the Council was not enough.
Mr X states this caused him emotional distress.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X is complaining about events in 2010 and 2013-15. We cannot investigate complaints brought more than 12 months after the person knew about the matter unless we decide there are good reasons.
Mr X complained to the Council in 2017 and in the Council response, he was told he should escalate this to us if he wasn’t happy with the response.
Mr X did not contact us until 2025, even though he was clearly unhappy about the same issues in 2017. He knew about us, as the Council had referred him, and he could have raised the issue then. Given that, I cannot see a good reason for the delay.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the complaint is late, and there is no good reason for not coming to us sooner.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman