— A patient was discharged from section 3 to supported accommodation. The council paid care costs directly to the supported housing provider; the patient paid, via Universal Credit, for her housing costs including a £20 weekly service charge. When the patient stopped receiving the extra amount for the service charge she went into arrears, was threatened with eviction, and subsequently paid some of the service charge from her other weekly benefits. The Ombudsman stated that accommodation included in a section 117 plan ("accommodation plus" in the LGSCO guidance) should not even partly be funded by the patient. The council was ordered to apologise, repay any amount paid privately, pay £250 for the injustice, and formulate an action plan to identify all similar cases.
Full details available at: https://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/London_Borough_of_Tower_Hamlets_(LGSCO,_25_027_355)?id=100926-2005