Hammersmith and Fulham Council pays £750 for 10-month care assessment delay

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has paid a disabled resident £750 in compensation following a 10-month delay in completing a care assessment. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman intervened in the case, stating that the prolonged wait caused the resident, referred to as Mr X, significant distress, frustration, and uncertainty.

Mr X requested a Care Act assessment in March 2025, citing severe disrepair in his accommodation that was impacting his health and wellbeing. He complained to the council twice, in July and September, due to a lack of response. A social worker was eventually allocated in January 2026, and the assessment was completed in early February 2026.

Ombudsman's Findings

The Ombudsman's report highlighted that assessments are typically expected to be completed within 4 to 6 weeks. The council acknowledged the significant delay, attributing it to an oversight in allocating the request to the correct team and high service demand. The council apologised to Mr X and offered the £750 payment to recognise the distress caused and his time in pursuing the complaint.

The regulator stated that while it could not determine if Mr X would have accepted a care package sooner had the assessment been completed promptly, the council's failure to act within a reasonable timeframe constituted a fault. The Ombudsman has requested that the council improve its service to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.