The cost of providing care has become an increasingly common theme in complaints made to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

In its Annual Review of Adult Social Care, the Ombudsman said it was seeing more cases where councils were failing to provide care, or limiting care, because of cost.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “The issues we are investigating are neither new nor surprising, but do indicate a system with a growing disconnect between the care to which people are entitled, and the ability of councils to meet those needs.

“Care assessments, care planning and charging for care have been key features of our cases this year and a common theme is councils failing to provide care, or limiting it, and justifying this because of the cost. We appreciate budgets are becoming increasingly stretched but authorities’ duties under the Care Act remain and we will continue to hold authorities to account for what they should be doing rather than what they can afford to do.”

The report highlighted one case where a family went from paying nothing for their elderly mother’s care to over £3,500 a month because the council changed the way it assessed people’s contributions towards their care because of “budgetary pressure”. In another case, a young adult’s care and support needs were not met while two councils argued about who should foot the bill.

The Ombudsman upheld 70% of social care cases investigated about adult social care, higher than the 66% average uphold rate across all areas. However, since the last comparable year before the pandemic the Ombudsman received 16% fewer complaints about adult care. Significantly, it saw a 21% drop in complaints about care arranged and funded independently. Just 13% (340) of 2,596 complaints and enquiries were from people who arranged and funded their own care. This compares with 3,073 complaints and enquiries in 2019-20 with 430 about independent care.

The Ombudsman made 631 service improvement recommendations, compared with 596 in 2019-20. Service improvements can include recommendations to review or create policies and procedures, staff training, improving communication with families and record keeping.

An ADASS spokesperson said: “It is deeply concerning that the number of people making complaints has fallen so significantly. Whether this is because people have more complex needs, individuals and carers are exhausted, people feel less able to engage, or the impact of the Covid pandemic, it is vital that we encourage and support older people, disabled people, families and carers to express concerns. Social care transforms lives.

“Comments, compliments and complaints are essential to making care personal and improving the quality of support that people experience. We know from the most recent ADASS member surveys just how uncomfortable directors are when they are required to enact contingency measures which limit care to those most at risk because of a shortage of funding or workforce availability.  If we do not need it now any one of us could need it tomorrow – a long-term plan and investment would benefit all of us.”