Ealing Council has been found at fault by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for delaying an occupational therapy assessment and failing to communicate adequately with a resident, following a complaint about adult social care services.
In a decision issued on 20 November 2025, the Ombudsman upheld a complaint by a woman referred to as Ms X, who is registered blind and lives with her children in a two-bedroom property. Ms X said prolonged delays in completing her occupational therapy (OT) assessment meant she continued living in accommodation that did not meet her needs, placing her at risk of injury and causing distress and uncertainty.
An advocate from a visual impairment charity requested the assessment in September 2024 to support Ms X’s application for rehousing. The council told her she was on a waiting list and initially advised of a three to four month delay, later extending this because of high demand and staffing pressures. The assessment was not completed until June 2025, nine months after the original referral.
The Ombudsman said that although there is no fixed statutory deadline, Care Act guidance requires assessments to be completed within a reasonable timescale and that councils should keep applicants informed. It found the delay excessive and criticised the council for only providing updates when prompted by Ms X or her advocate.
The completed OT assessment concluded the property did not adequately meet Ms X’s needs and recommended urgent rehousing to reduce the risk of a serious accident. However, the council later decided not to change her priority banding on the housing register, an issue the Ombudsman said would need to be pursued through a separate complaint.
Ealing Council agreed to apologise to Ms X, make a symbolic payment of £250, and introduce clearer communication arrangements for people awaiting occupational therapy assessments.
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “We sincerely apologise for our failings in this case and apologised to the individual and paid them compensation in acknowledgement of the frustration and uncertainty caused by the delays. Supporting residents with extra needs is a top priority for us.
“We have established a clear communication process so those who have been referred for an occupational therapy assessment are informed about the timeline.
“We recognise that there is still work to do to ensure all residents receive a consistently high level of service and we are committed to acting on feedback. We are working closely with our partners to mitigate these challenges and ensure our services continue to improve so we deliver the very best experiences for all our service users.”
