South London Council Faces Criticism Over Delayed Care Costs

A resident in South London has been left with a significant bill for his father’s care due to delays by Wandsworth Council in communicating costs. The council has since been directed to refund £1,000 after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found that the man, referred to as Mr X, experienced “distress, frustration and lost opportunity” due to the council’s shortcomings.

According to the ombudsman’s report, Wandsworth Council began providing care for Mr X’s father in February 2023, but failed to share the associated care and support plan until March 2023, after Mr X had cancelled the service. Care was resumed in July 2023, yet the council again did not provide an updated care plan, which left Mr X unaware of the financial implications for an extended period.

The investigation revealed that the council did not complete a proper financial assessment until late September 2024, over 18 months after care commenced. During this delay, Mr X was informed that his father’s weekly care contribution would be £500 from February 20, 2023, to March 8, 2023, increasing to £604 from July 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and rising to £638 from July 1, 2024.

The ombudsman stated that Mr X faced considerable distress due to the lack of timely billing information. He was unable to make informed decisions regarding his father’s care because he did not receive clear cost details from July 2023 until the assessment was completed in September 2024. This culminated in a substantial bill that Mr X was unprepared to handle.

In July 2025, following pressure from the ombudsman, Wandsworth Council reduced the charges by £6,665.81 due to ambiguity regarding the provision of double-handed care. Nevertheless, the ombudsman noted that even they could not verify the accuracy of this reduction, as the council did not provide a detailed breakdown of the care services rendered.

The report emphasized that while Wandsworth Council was entitled to charge for care costs, Mr X’s experience highlighted significant failures in communication and transparency. The council was directed to apologize to Mr X and to provide a clear breakdown of the care charges.

A spokesperson for Wandsworth Council acknowledged the findings, stating, “We seek to deliver the best possible outcomes for residents with social care needs. We accept the ombudsman’s findings and have apologized to Mr X, paying the financial remedy ordered. We’re sorry for the distress Mr X and his father experienced, and we have taken lessons from this experience to improve our service.”

This incident raises important questions about the responsibilities of local authorities in managing care services and communicating effectively with families regarding financial obligations.