Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate resources for the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to handle caseloads and help resolve issues.

The Department maintains a sponsorship relationship with the Ombudsman, through which matters such as finances and casework are regularly discussed. The Ombudsman’s funding is set through the Department’s annual Business Planning processes. The Ombudsman was given a 33% uplift in funding for 2025/26 onwards to account for the increased demand on their complaints service.