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Case summaries

These short, anonymised stories show the profound impact that failures in public services can have on the lives of individuals and their families.

Please note we have not published any new case summaries on this page since 2015. In April 2021 we began publishing our casework decision statements and investigation reports on our decisions portal. 

 

Type
Type
Health cases only
Student Loans Company gave wrong advice about travel grant
Summary 784 |
Miss T had the opportunity to study abroad as part of her degree course. Before accepting the offer to study abroad, she contacted the Student Loans Company (SLC), but it gave her incorrect advice about a travel grant.
Cafcass Family court advisor made mistakes in report for court
Summary 783 |
Mrs W complained that the Family court advisor assigned to her case had not conducted herself well during an interview with her two children. Mrs W was also concerned that the Family court advisor was biased against her and had made a number of factual errors in her report to court.
HMCTS failed to refund a fee
Summary 782 |
Mr D complained that HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) had not refunded him a fee of £210 that he paid to issue a claim. Mr D believed he was due the refund because of his entitlement to benefits. He was also unhappy about HMCTS's general handling of his applications for a refund and the time it was taking to resolve matters.
Sorry, let me read that again
Summary 781 |
A complex subsidy scheme, a capricious computer system and an inexperienced member of the public – what could go wrong?
Poor complaint handling exacerbated fiancé's grief over bereavement
Summary 780 |
Mr A complained that the actions of Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) contributed to the decision of his fiancée, Ms G, to take her own life in late 2011. Mr A also complained about UKVI's two subsequent refusals of Ms G's visitor visa applications earlier in 2011 and in 2012 (after her death). He said they left Ms G, who did not speak French, isolated in Paris for two months.
Wrong visa advice stranded man for two months
Summary 779 |
Mr W was prevented from returning to the UK from South America with a new passport. Wrong visa advice from embassy staff led to him being stranded for two months.
Jobcentre Plus failed to properly advise a jobseeker
Summary 777 |
When jobseeker Mr J said he wanted to claim for the cost of his travel to interviews, Jobcentre Plus did not tell him that he might not have all his costs reimbursed and that he would have to travel at his own expense.
Small mistakes can have long–term consequences
Summary 776 |
Mrs D complained that Border Force stopped her at Manchester Airport in autumn 2013. She said that staff stamped her passport with two months leave to enter and advised her to legalise her immigration status.