Ealing leads London for adult social care complaints to Ombudsman

Ealing recorded the highest number of adult social care complaints and enquiries referred to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman among London councils during 2025/26.

The Ombudsman received 54 cases concerning Ealing, compared with 40 for Harrow, 36 for Haringey, 35 for Lewisham and 33 for Tower Hamlets. The figures cover complaints and initial enquiries and do not mean that every case was investigated or found to involve fault.

Ealing Council said the total should be considered alongside the more than 5,000 people receiving adult social care support in the borough, but acknowledged that every upheld complaint mattered. Cases reaching the Ombudsman can involve assessments, care planning, safeguarding, charging, direct payments, residential care and communication with people and their families.

The local figures form part of a wider increase across England. The Ombudsman received 3,938 adult social care complaints and enquiries during the year, 22% more than in 2024/25. Of the 904 cases taken forward for investigation, 77% were upheld.

Complaints from people arranging and paying for their own care also rose by 10% to 368. The Ombudsman said this may reflect improving public awareness of the right to complain, although it believes many self-funding families remain unaware that they can bring concerns about private care providers directly to its service.

Councils and providers complied with 99.8% of the Ombudsman’s recommendations. However, the watchdog urged organisations to examine recurring problems and use complaints to improve communication, assessments, record-keeping and care planning before similar failures affect other people.

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