Local Council’s 'Shameful Neglect of a Resident’s Funeral Arrangements'....

Hartlepool Borough Council comes under fire for its apparent 'cold & heartless' approach to a vulnerable local resident in their decision to refuse council funded care, sparking questions over just who's side the local government ombudsman is supposed to be on ?

2nd Feb 2025

Hartlepool Borough Council's once again come under fire for its apparent heavy-handed, bureaucratic approach—this time over a shocking case where its claimed the council completely disregarded compassion, fairness, and common sense in dealing with a vulnerable elderly resident’s financial assessment for council funded care....

The Local Government Ombudsman’s report exposes Hartlepool Borough Councils failure to handle a complaint fairly, leaving a grieving family frustrated, distressed, and fighting against an uncaring system.

The case, involving what the ombudsman has referred to as Mrs Y and her son-in-law, Mr X, raises serious concerns over the council’s apparent lack of transparency, poor communication, and wilful disregard for the well-being of its residents.

The Background: A Funeral Plan Turned into a Battle..

Critics say the current system of Council Funded social care actively penalises those for working their whole lives, or even putting something away for their funeral

Mrs Y, an elderly woman who had responsibly planned ahead for her funeral costs, took out a funeral plan whilst still living in her own home. This was a decision made with her family’s best interests at heart, particularly because her daughter (Mr X’s wife) suffers from severe mental health issues and would struggle to manage funeral arrangements when the time came.

However, when Mrs Y’s capital fell reportedly below the threshold to be eligible for council-funded care, Mr X then requested a financial reassessment be made by the local council in order to see whether an eligibility for council funded care could take place, only to be met with an appalling decision: with Hartlepool Borough Council refusing to disregard the local woman's funeral plan from its calculations, effectively treating it as disposable savings & refusing the local woman any council help...

Council’s Justification Branded 'A Cold and Calculated Approach'....

The Councils decision has been branded 'cold'; & 'callous' by some

According to the Ombudsman’s report, Hartlepool Borough Council claimed that since the Care Act 2014 does not explicitly list funeral plans as assets to be disregarded, it had the right to include them in their financial assessments. This means the council effectively chose to treat the funeral plan as an asset that could be cashed in at any time, despite clear evidence that it was being held in trust and meant exclusively for funeral expenses.

The council’s response argued that Mrs Y had other family members and that her daughter’s mental health condition did not constitute any “exceptional circumstances” that would warrant an exemption to be made in that case, as a result, the bureaucratic indifference outlined a blatant disregard for the real-life consequences of the councils decisions.

Opaque Policies and Poor Communication...

Throughout the ordeal, Mr X was said to have been repeatedly denied a clear explanation of the councils policy regarding funeral plans. Even when its said that a local ward councillor stepped in to challenge the councils decision, Hartlepool Borough Council, stubbornly sticking to its guns, failed to provide any meaningful justification for its decision. This apparent lack of transparency is said to raise a serious question: Is Hartlepool Borough Council simply making up the rules as it goes along?

Major intrusion into a persons privacy

Adding insult to injury, its claimed Hartlepool Borough Council also demanded a full copy of Mrs Y’s funeral plan, which reportedly included deeply personal and private details about her final wishes. This unnecessary invasion of the local residents privacy caused significant distress to the family, yet the council only admitted any wrongdoing after the damage had been done. Whilst they later claimed they would change procedures in the future, this empty gesture according to critics does little to undo the emotional harm already inflicted. on the family..

The Ombudsman’s Findings reveal 'A System that's Built to Defend Itself'....

Whilst the Ombudsman’s investigation did find that Hartlepool Borough Council should have handled the request for funeral plan documents more sensitively, it ultimately sided with the council’s decision to include the funeral plan as an asset. The report highlights how councils are supposedly given “discretion” in such matters—but critics claim what good is discretion if it is always exercised against the resident and in favour of the bureaucracy?

The case exposes how Hartlepool Borough Council continues to operate with an apparent 'callous' and 'mechanical approach' to decision-making, devoid of any empathy or consideration for the residents they're supposed to serve.

The Bigger Picture: Social Care in Hartlepool is in Crisis !

This isn’t just about one case—this is about a broader pattern of Hartlepool Borough Council failing local residents, some of whom will have paid thousands of pounds in Adult Social Care precepts on their council tax bills only to find in their time of need, they're denied even the most basic level of support. Whether it’s secretive business deals, incompetence in handling taxpayer money, or now, penalising vulnerable residents for planning ahead, the council’s track record is one of horrendous mismanagement and indifference.

If Hartlepool Borough Council truly cared about its residents, it would review its policies, act with compassion, and provide transparency. Instead, it continues to hide behind bureaucratic jargon and cold-hearted decision-making that leaves families fighting for fairness.

How many more residents will suffer under Hartlepool Borough Council’s oppressive policies before real change is brought in ?

What Can You Do?

If you or a loved one have faced similar treatment from Hartlepool Borough Council, share your story with us. The more residents speak out, the harder it will be for the council to continue operating without accountability. It’s time for transparency, fairness, and an end to the bureaucratic abuse that has become all too common in Hartlepool.