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.

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DWP sent incorrect information to man's MP about outcome of a fraud investigation

Summary 764 | March 2015

Mr A was claiming the higher rate of disability living allowance but his disability was not severe enough to entitle him to it. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) prosecuted Mr A but he was not found guilty of all of the charges the DWP brought against him.

Student Loans Company's error led to overpayment

Summary 763 | March 2015

When Mr G applied for student funding, the Student Loans Company (SLC) made an error so the grant he got was higher than it should have been.

Cafcass apologised for failing to update man on his case

Summary 762 | February 2015

Mr H made an application through Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) for contact with his son. He was dissatisfied with the service the Cafcass officer provided and complained about it.

Failure to explain the rules on giving notice to the court

Summary 761 | February 2015

Mr J complained that HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) refused to refund his hearing fee even though he gave it the seven days' notice it required.

UKVI overturned a settlement decision before an appeal hearing took place, but still required an appeal fee

Summary 760 | February 2015

Mrs K applied to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to settle in the UK. UKVI refused the application so Mrs B, her daughter, paid £140 for an appeal. But the refusal decision was overturned before the appeal hearing took place and so Mrs B felt she had paid the fee unnecessarily.

HMCTS failed to explain why it could not respond to a complaint

Summary 759 | February 2015

Mr P complained that HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) unnecessarily delayed providing his brother with a transcript of a previous court case, and refused to address Mr P's complaint about this.

UKVI apologised for delay on an asylum claim

Summary 758 | February 2015

Mr D complained that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) gave him contradictory information about what he should do to legalise his status. He was left in limbo and could not work while waiting for his immigration status to be decided.

UKVI apologised for three year delay in dealing with application to settle in the UK

Summary 757 | February 2015

Mr M complained that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) unnecessarily delayed making a decision about his summer 2009 application to settle in the UK with his wife.

Complaint about a Cafcass Family Court Adviser

Summary 756 | February 2015

Mr Y was involved in Family court proceedings and was unhappy with the behaviour of an adviser from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) and their report to the court.

Cafcass's repeated errors caused delay and distress

Summary 755 | February 2015

Ms R's case was being handled by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass). It made numerous errors, including accidentally closing her case and failing to notify the court that a report would not be prepared in time for the hearing.