Taxpayer value from government contracts

Challenges in ensuring taxpayers gain from government contracts, requiring improved market testing and transparency of KPIs.

1,035 items 8 sources 2 inquiries

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Where this theme appears

Taxpayer value from government contracts has been flagged across 8 independent accountability sources:

3 inquiry recs 831 committee recs 1 ICIBI rec 1 PPO rec 37 NAO recs 69 IMB recs 5 PHSO decisions 88 LGO/SPSO decisions

When the same issue appears across inquiries, coroner reports, and regulators independently, it indicates a recurring issue across the public record.

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Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.

Inquiry Recommendations (3)

HIA-12 — Financial Contributions from Institutions

Recommendation: We recommend that any voluntary institution found by the Inquiry to have been guilty of systemic failings should be asked to make an appropriate financial contribution to the overall cost of the HIA Redress Board and any specialist support services …

Gov response: No formal government response published.

HIA-5 — Publicly Funded Compensation Scheme

Recommendation: We recommend that the Northern Ireland Executive create a publicly funded compensation scheme.

Gov response: No formal government response published.

WATE-(43) — Disclose financial information of private children's homes and residential schools to regulators

Waterhouse Inquiry

Recommendation: The accounts and other relevant financial information relating to private children's homes and private residential schools approved generally for SEN children or receiving SEN children with the consent of the Secretary of State should be disclosed to the relevant regulatory …

Committee Recommendations (831) — showing 50 strongest matches

Business and Trade Committee

Recommendation: Whilst we have called for the 50:50 split to be replaced with a more appropriate arrangement moving forward, we believe pensioners should also receive a more immediate uplift. We recommend that the Government hands the £1.2bn it is due to …

Gov response: Reject. The Government is very sympathetic to the situation of former miners. The Government has been considering possible ways to provide additional benefits to members within the current framework of the guarantee and surplus sharing …

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In its evidence to us, TaxWatch said the legacy of the employment support schemes risks being damaged if more is not done to recover the billions of pounds stolen from them.20 The Association of Accounting Technicians submitted evidence to us …

Gov response: 1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 1.2 Since compliance work commenced on the COVID-19 support schemes, a great deal has been learnt about types and levels of error and fraud. HMRC’s …

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Department did not do enough work to determine whether Randox was making excess profits from its contracts with Randox. Randox’s published accounts do not yet cover the entire period of the contracts we considered, but they already show how …

Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Recommendation Implemented 6.2 The Government Commercial Function has published the The Sourcing Playbook which sets out the key commercial principles that underpin commercial activity across Government and …

Scottish Affairs Committee

Recommendation: The MOD should set out how it evaluates social value in competitions, how it measures the delivery of social value in the contracts it negotiates, and how it holds contractors accountable to ensure they meet those targets. It should also, …

Gov response: 26: The MOD uses the Cabinet Office Social Value Model as the framework for applying Social Value to its competitive procurements. The MOD measures the delivery of social value in its contracts in the following …

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We are concerned that in the absence of effective criminal and civil sanctions there is little incentive for those who overclaimed COVID-19 employment support to make repayments. Despite the billions of pounds lost in error and fraud, HMRC has taken …

Gov response: 5: PAC conclusion: We are concerned that in the absence of effective criminal and civil sanctions there is little incentive for those who overclaimed COVID-19 employment support to make repayments. 5a: PAC recommendation: HMRC should …

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HMRC’s decision to close the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce in 2023–24 puts at risk the recovery of taxpayers’ money paid out as a result of error and fraud. In April 2021, HMRC set up the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce as a dedicated …

Gov response: 4: PAC conclusion: HMRC’s decision to close the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce in 2023–24 puts at risk the recovery of taxpayers’ money paid out as a result of error and fraud. 4a: PAC recommendation: HMRC should …

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HMRC’s performance in recovering the £2.3 billion incorrectly paid to employers claiming furlough for employees who continued to work has been woeful. When it introduced CJRS in spring 2020, HMRC recognised that there was a high risk that employers would …

Gov response: 3: PAC conclusion: HMRC’s performance in recovering the £2.3 billion incorrectly paid to employers claiming furlough for employees who continued to work has been woeful. 3: PAC recommendation: HMRC should set out, in its Treasury …

#21 — Home Office exits leave hotels in derelict conditions, burdening local communities with regeneration costs.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We have heard reports, including from our own constituencies, that some hotels have been left in derelict conditions following the Home Office exiting them. We received written evidence from London Councils which told us that there were concerns across the …

Gov response: 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 The Home Office will establish a working group with the Local Government Association and Local Authority Chief Executive regional leads to address issues raised …

#19 — Home Office contracts for migrant accommodation lack specified penalties for safeguarding failures.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Home Office told us that health and welfare of migrants was “baked into” the way that it runs the sites and the contracts with suppliers. It said there were clear key performance indicators (KPIs) on accommodation being safe and …

Gov response: 3.12 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: October 2024 for the previous quarter, continuing quarterly. 3.13 Asylum, Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC) provide a mechanism for application of service credits if provider …

#15 — Large accommodation sites projected more costly than hotels, challenging value for money claims.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We asked the Home Office whether it was still satisfied that it was getting value for money, given the costs of the accommodation and the fact that capacity was much lower than anticipated. The Home Office’s latest assessment of value …

Gov response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 A raft of measures has been implemented to address weaknesses. The programme was recently restructured to deliver smaller sites, requiring lighter touch refurbishment and …

#14 — Home Office awarded major accommodation site contracts without full competition, citing urgency.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We asked the Home Office why it had not submitted to competition five of the contracts relating to the new sites, worth £243 million of the £253 million it had spent through contracts. The Home Office told us that it …

Gov response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 A raft of measures has been implemented to address weaknesses. The programme was recently restructured to deliver smaller sites, requiring lighter touch refurbishment and …

#35 — DWP dissatisfied with slow reduction in UC overpayments despite forecast improvements and efforts.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: DWP pointed us to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s statement forecasting welfare trends alongside the 2024 Autumn Budget, which showed overpayments in UC returning to below pre–pandemic levels in the 63 Qq 55-56 64 Autumn Budget 2024, para 4.109 65 …

Gov response: DWP pointed us to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s statement forecasting welfare trends alongside the 2024 Autumn Budget, which showed overpayments in UC returning to below pre–pandemic levels in the 63 Qq 55-56 64 Autumn …

#30 — DWP's Targeted Case Reviews fell short of expected UC fraud and error savings.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: DWP set out its current plan to tackle fraud and error in its strategy Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System, published in May 2022. Its initiatives include a programme of Targeted Case Reviews to verify around 8 million existing UC …

Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 6.2 The department’s focus for Targeted Case Review (TCR) in 2023-24 was to continue to scale and stabilise a new operation that began testing in …

#29 — DWP overpaid £9.5 billion in benefits, with fraud accounting for the majority of overpayments.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Excluding State Pension, DWP estimates that it overpaid a total of 6.7% (£9.5 billion) of benefit expenditure in 2023–24, up from 6.6% (£8.2 billion) in 2022–23.58 Fraud—where DWP considers that a claimant should reasonably have been aware that they were …

Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 6.2 The department’s focus for Targeted Case Review (TCR) in 2023-24 was to continue to scale and stabilise a new operation that began testing in …

#6 — Set out use of additional £110 million funding for counter-fraud to reduce overpayments.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Excluding State Pension, £9.5 billion of benefit expenditure was overpaid in 2023–24 and DWP did not achieve its savings target from Targeted Case Reviews. Excluding State Pension, DWP estimates that it overpaid a total of 6.7% (£9.5 billion) in 2023–24, …

Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented The department’s focus for Targeted Case Review (TCR) in 2023-24 was to continue to scale and stabilise a new operation that began testing in 2022-23. In …

#24 — Home Office failed to apply lessons from failed asylum sites, incurring significant financial losses.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The second of the IPA reviews, in February 2023, concluded that, while the Home Office had identified learning in relation to the failed site at Linton- on-Ouse, these lessons were not being applied to some of the asylum accommodation sites …

Under Consideration

#21 — Home Office culture normalised emergency operations, weakening approval processes for asylum accommodation sites.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We were concerned about a prevailing culture within the Home Office that normalises operating in an emergency and led it to weaken approval processes when acquiring large sites like Northeye. Moreover, it has often appeared that the Home Office has …

Under Consideration

#20 — Home Office prioritised speed over assurance when acquiring large asylum accommodation sites.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We asked the Home Office why, despite spending large sums of public money on these large sites, many of them did not achieve the expected benefits. It explained that both the previous and current government had strategies to exit hotel …

Under Consideration

#19 — Home Office large asylum sites programme suffered poor value for money and significant failures.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In May 2024, the previous Public Accounts Committee reported on the Home Office’s development of alternative asylum accommodation to hotels, including large sites at Scampton and Wethersfield, the Bibby Stockholm vessel, and former student accommodation in Huddersfield. The Committee found …

Under Consideration

#18 — Ensure realistic market sale price for Northeye site if government decides to resell it.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The contract for the Northeye acquisition contained conditions that meant that the longer it took the Home Office to complete the purchase beyond a six–week timeframe, the more money it would pay. The National Audit Office reported that despite these …

Under Consideration

#17 — Home Office lacked oversight of contracted property staff, incurring additional Northeye costs.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In April 2021, the Home Office contracted staff who had previously worked under the Ministry of Justice’s property function to provide in-house expertise in commercial property transactions. From August 2022, the contracted staff managed the acquisition of the Home Office’s …

Under Consideration

#10 — Home Office acknowledged rushed acquisitions led to abandoned projects and wasted public funds.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We were concerned by the amount of public money the Home Office has spent on these projects, which have either been abandoned or have not delivered the expected benefits. During our evidence session, we questioned the Home Office on this, …

Under Consideration

#9 — Rwanda migration scheme cancelled after £715 million spent without removals.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In July 2024, the government announced the cancellation of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda (MEDP).21 We noted that nobody had been removed under the scheme, and the Department told us that there were no flights under the …

Under Consideration

#8 — Home Office spent millions on multiple abandoned or problematic large asylum sites.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In 2023, the Home Office was acquiring several large asylum accommodation sites at the same time, including the Bibby Stokholm vessel in Dorset and the former RAF base in Scampton, Lincolnshire.16 The Home Office has spent more than £34 million …

Under Consideration

#2 — Set out changes to ensure Home Office investment decisions use comprehensive information and transparent consultation

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In its haste to purchase the Northeye site, the Home Office ignored opportunities to properly understand the risks and costs of developing it, leading to poor value for money for the taxpayer. The Home Office asserts it did a “fair …

Under Consideration

#9 — Untested business models and contracts expose taxpayers to huge CCUS programme costs

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Given the scale of the funding announced for the first five projects and the size of the contingent liabilities that the Department has recognised for its underwriting of the programme, the potential costs to taxpayers and consumers are huge. The …

Gov response: 1. PAC conclusion: The Department is taking a high–risk approach by backing first– of–a–kind, unproven technologies with large amounts of taxpayer and consumer funding. 1. PAC recommendation: The Department should, as the projects it is …

#38 — HS2 Ltd spent £592 million on land for cancelled Phase 2 route

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Up to the end of March 2024, HS2 Ltd had spent £3.7 billion on buying land and property along the HS2 route, of which £592 million relates to the cancelled Phase 2.66 The types of land and property include agricultural, …

Gov response: 7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2025 7.2 Preparatory work on a disposal programme for Phase 2 is already underway. As part of these preparations, the department is undertaking …

#19 — HS2 Ltd is seeking to renegotiate unproductive civil construction contracts for better risk allocation.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HS2 Ltd told us that it is now seeking to renegotiate these contracts.32 It considers that the current contracts are unproductive and that reset provides the opportunity for a fair allocation of risk and an opportunity to find different ways …

Gov response: 3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The department agrees with the substance of the recommendation but will require more time before it can update the Committee. HS2 Ltd has concluded the first …

#18 — HS2 Ltd acknowledges suboptimal contract risk management contributed to a £6 billion cost increase.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HS2 Ltd acknowledged that it has not managed these contract risks in an optimal or coherent way.30 In September 2023, HS2 Ltd estimated that the forecast cost of main civil construction work alone had increased by £6 billion (2019 prices) …

Gov response: 3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The department agrees with the substance of the recommendation but will require more time before it can update the Committee. HS2 Ltd has concluded the first …

#16 — HS2 Ltd revised Phase 1 construction contracts in 2020, increasing its liability for cost overruns.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In July 2017, HS2 Ltd let contracts with four joint venture companies for the main civil construction work on Phase 1. However, in 2020, once the cost of building the railway became clearer, it revised the terms of the contracts …

Gov response: 3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The department agrees with the substance of the recommendation but will require more time before it can update the Committee. HS2 Ltd has concluded the first …

#4 — Assess new nature restoration fund's impact using HS2 bat tunnel case study

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HS2 Ltd’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of HS2 are not delivering value for money, with the c.£100 million cost of a protective ‘bat tunnel’ more than doubling the cost of that section of railway alone. The Committee does …

Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. letter to the Committee before the Summer recess begins in July 2025. The proposed measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which would inform a re-assessment of this …

#3 — Report progress on HS2 contract renegotiations and plans for achieving cost savings

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: HS2 Ltd’s construction contracts are unacceptable to the public purse and it is imperative that HS2 Ltd deliver on its assurances to us that it can renegotiate these and deliver significant cost savings. The terms and operation of these contracts …

Gov response: The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The department agrees with the substance of the recommendation but will require more time before it can update the Committee. HS2 Ltd has concluded the first phase of …

#23 — Government is improving efforts to leverage public sector buying power for digital services.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The State of digital government review reported that government is not doing enough to ensure the public sector benefits from the scale of its buying power.56 The Cabinet Office and DSIT told us they are working to tackle this, giving …

Gov response: 5. PAC conclusion: DSIT and Cabinet Office have a long way to go to strengthen the government’s approach to digital procurement to ensure value for money and a thriving AI supplier market. 5. PAC recommendation: …

#21 — Government AI procurement processes remain ill-suited to dynamic technology markets.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: In its January 2025 State of digital government review, DSIT reported that government procurement processes had not adapted to the changing nature of the technology market, which has seen a shift from upfront capital purchases to subscription–based models, and greater …

Gov response: 5. PAC conclusion: DSIT and Cabinet Office have a long way to go to strengthen the government’s approach to digital procurement to ensure value for money and a thriving AI supplier market. 5. PAC recommendation: …

#5 — Detail how AI sourcing framework will ensure value and competition for government procurement.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: DSIT and Cabinet Office have a long way to go to strengthen government’s approach to digital procurement to ensure value for money and a thriving AI supplier market. The technology market is rapidly evolving with a shift from upfront capital …

Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. DSIT, Cabinet Office/Crown Commercial Service and departments, will define the government's digital procurement strategy, with a particular focus on AI sourcing. The DCCoE’s mission is to leverage the …

#2 — Ensure PwC delivers full loan system functionality by September 2025 and prepare for contract end.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Department’s management of its contract with PwC has been poor. The Department originally appointed PwC to advise on options for the management of its loans. After PwC identified the need for a managed service provider, the Department appointed PwC …

Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. the department, was implemented in March 2025 for under £300,000 and in line with the committed plan. The original PwC contract, which expired in March 2025, has been …

#21 — Prior evidence suggests Drax gamed subsidy system, raising doubts about new agreement robustness.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: An investigation conducted by Bloomberg in 2022 concluded that Drax may previously have gamed its support to the detriment of consumers. It found that Drax shut down power generation and sold wood pellets on the open market to avoid paying …

#20 — Bilateral Drax agreement raises value-for-money concerns due to high subsidy rates.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Despite the new terms of the agreement, there are risks that the support will not offer consumers value for money. The agreement was reached through bilateral negotiations with Drax and included no element of competition.56 While the government claims that …

Gov response: 3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 It is important to recognise that the proposed contract with Drax was not intended to set the path to the adoption of power BECCS for large-scale …

#3 — Include clauses in Drax's transitional support agreement to prompt BECCS transition.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We are not convinced the transitional support agreement between DESNZ and Drax provides good value for money for consumers. Government announced in February 2025 that it had agreed heads of terms for a deal to support Drax that will run …

Gov response: The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. It is important to recognise that the proposed contract with Drax was not intended to set the path to the adoption of power BECCS for large-scale generation. Rather, …

#10 — Public procurement policy must align with industrial strategy to incentivise investment and innovation.

Business and Trade Committee

Recommendation: Public procurement if used effectively is amongst the most important tools to drive the industrial strategy. However, for this to be the case, the Government needs to ensure that procurement policy joined at the hip with the industrial strategy and …

Gov response: The Government agrees that public procurement is a powerful lever for driving economic growth in the UK. The Industrial Strategy set out how the Government will implement current reforms and also go further to ensure …

#33 — Government's fragmented cloud buying approach limits potential commercial leverage and benefits

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Government has made attempts to co–ordinate in order to gain benefits from its scale. GCF has signed agreements with the major cloud providers which allow them to treat the public sector as a single customer for the purposes of determining …

Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2025 6.2 The Commercial Operating model is evolving to consider how to facilitate the delivery of the functional standards for commercial and digital …

#32 — Government faces limited choice and high switching costs in concentrated technology market

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: GCF explained that government has historically sought to exercise buying power through competition between technology suppliers. Increasingly, the technology market is being dominated by a small number of very large suppliers. We observed that moving between digital suppliers, particularly cloud …

Gov response: 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2025 6.2 The Commercial Operating model is evolving to consider how to facilitate the delivery of the functional standards for commercial and digital …

#31 — Government's buying power is hindered by lack of reliable future digital procurement demand forecasts.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Cabinet Office is responsible for maximising the buying power of the state. We therefore asked the Cabinet Office how government could negotiate volume discounts with large suppliers or cloud suppliers, or aggregated contracts, without data on the expected future …

Gov response: 5.1 The government agrees with the committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2025 5.2 The GCF Digital & Data Team will set out the process to leverage commercial insights from data held across the eco-system, …

#6 — Design a detailed commercial construct for cross-government digital technology procurement.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Government is underestimating how difficult it will be to consolidate its buying power centrally when procuring digital technology across government, in a way that will give it maximum leverage. Spending over £14 billion annually on digital technology suppliers gives government …

Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. of the functional standards for commercial and digital and will be adjusted to reflect any proposed changes to the Commercial operating model under the Cabinet Office departmental transformation …

#5 — Set out how to ensure data and capability for informed technology supplier spending decisions.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: Government’s ability to get the best deals with technology suppliers is being hampered by its lack of knowledge of what it is spending or its future needs. Government estimates that it spends over £14 billion each year on digital commercial …

Gov response: The government agrees with the committee’s recommendation. from data held across the eco-system, which will include the development of a standard framework for procurement platforms as well as the delivery of the central digital platform, …

#16 — Department lacks complete overview and accurate data on industry support spending

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Department does not have a complete overview or accurate data on what it, and wider government, spends on supporting industry. The Department found it difficult to readily provide the NAO with a breakdown of its support for industry. It …

Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy was published alongside the Spending Review and its priorities are embedded in departmental budgets for the remainder of this …

#15 — Department tracks overall spending but lacks systems to breakdown support by type

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Department tracks its programme spending, grant expenditure and Business Group resource spending across sector teams but does not have processes to break this down by support type using existing systems. In 2023–24, the Department spent £790.9 million on business …

Gov response: The department currently supports industry through a range of interventions, the scale and form of which varies greatly. In 2023–24, it spent £790.9 million on business support grants, 62.5% of which went to the advanced …

#34 — Ineffective NATIS contract terminated after costing £38.5m for only 14 convictions.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: On 15 May 2025 the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports issued a statement announcing that the Department will not renew the contract with NATIS, instead the Insolvency Service will take over the remaining casework.54 In the accompanying press …

Gov response: 4. PAC conclusion: The Department’s efforts to recover fraud losses incurred through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme have been largely unsuccessful, with only a small fraction of losses recovered to date, for which the Department …

#33 — Department lacks clarity on recovered BBLS fraud losses and recovery methods.

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: We wrote to the Department, following our evidence session on 7 April, to obtain greater clarity on the value of losses to fraud that have since been recovered. We specifically requested the value of losses recovered which were incurred due …

Gov response: 4. PAC conclusion: The Department’s efforts to recover fraud losses incurred through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme have been largely unsuccessful, with only a small fraction of losses recovered to date, for which the Department …

#32 — BBLS saved businesses, but its design hinders effective fraud and error tackling

Public Accounts Committee

Recommendation: The Department told us that at the time the BBLS was set up, the real worry was the number of businesses which could fail, and up to around half a million businesses were sustained by the intervention. However, the scheme …

ICIBI Immigration Recommendations (1)

A spot check inspection of Border Force operations at Portsmouth International Port …

Provide clarity to port operators on what statutory facilities they are required to provide to Border Force without cost and what Border Force must pay for.

PPO Death in Custody Recommendations (1)

The HMPPS Executive Director for Custodial Contracts

The HMPPS Executive Director for Custodial Contracts should write to the Ombudsman setting out what he has done to satisfy himself that healthcare services at Rye Hill, including the contract for GP services, meet the needs of the prison’s population.

NAO Audit Recommendations (37)

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Expand its guidance on frameworks, alongside working to ensure that where frameworks are used it is for compatible requirements and uses competitive pressure.

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Consider how to make improvements in the supporting elements of the commercial lifecycle as set out in Figure 6 (capability, commercial strategy, governance and accountability, and transparency and data) to support improvements in the effectiveness of competition.

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Work with departments to understand the barriers to early market engagement and take steps to address them.

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Set out how it currently uses the information and explore how it can the use the range of data collected on individual contracts to analyse competitive trends in markets and use this to support its work.

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Through its procurement reform processes, act to improve the quality of information departments submit on contracts, as well as continuing to improve compliance with transparency requirements.

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Building on work it has begun to update its contract database systems and standards, clearly define the information departments are required to publish, including how it should be structured

The government’s approach to test and trace in England – interim report

f) take account to the maximum extent possible of value for money and normal commercial good practice as it procures new infrastructure and services. In particular, it needs to have sufficient flexibility in future contracts to allow government and contractors …

Partially accepted

Investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Cabinet Office should review whether requirements for disclosure and management of relevant interests are sufficient in cases where public office-holders hold cross-government responsibilities for awarding contracts or procurement. For such cases, the Cabinet Office should take steps to enable …

Investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic

When procuring directly from suppliers, awarding bodies need to provide clear documentation on how they have considered and managed potential conflicts of interest or bias in the procurement process. Before awarding contracts, awarding bodies should document due diligence checks carried …

Investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Awarding bodies should provide clear documentation for establishing and using procedures that may result in unequal treatment of suppliers. While segmenting suppliers based on strength of evidence to deliver can be beneficial in speeding up the procurement process, awarding bodies …

Investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Cabinet Office should issue further guidance on specific procurement risks arising from greater use of regulation 32(2)(c). The guidance should build on the lessons government has learned from the use of this regulation during the pandemic to date and …

Investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Awarding bodies should publish basic information on contracts in a reasonable time, in line with guidance to publish within 90 days of award. Transparency is one of the key controls to mitigate the risks associated with emergency direct awards. Therefore, …

Employment support: The Kickstart Scheme

m) establishing (and on a proportionate basis using) rights to recover funding if employers provide inadequate employment support.

Employment support: The Kickstart Scheme

i) setting out the logical steps and criteria of jobs most likely to create additional economic output (for instance, the organisation is not hiring for similar unsubsidised jobs) and monitoring as many of those criteria as possible while the programme …

Partially accepted

Employment support: The Kickstart Scheme

To help ensure that the jobs created additional economic output, the Department should monitor indicators that a job is additional where it can, by: h) conducting routine monitoring and inspection of employers to establish whether organisations participating in Kickstart fulfil …

Financial sustainability of schools in England

d) Develop further their performance management systems so they can effectively monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their programmes to support schools’ financial sustainability. In doing this, the Department and the ESFA should: • consistently collect good-quality data about the …

Financial sustainability of schools in England

c) Investigate why some academy trusts have built up substantial reserves. The ESFA should use that information to develop its understanding of why trusts are acting in this way, seek assurance that levels of reserves are acceptable, and take action …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

l) Signal in its external communications that it will take a tough approach with companies that deliberately misuse insolvency rules. It has new powers to attach debts to the owners of companies that go bankrupt. As the UK emerges from …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

k) Adopt good practices from the private sector and from its own handling of debt during the pandemic on a permanent basis. In particular, a clear focus on affordability rather than repayment within a year could help customers maintain payments …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

j) Develop its understanding of the effectiveness of the different tools and interventions that it already uses and how they interact. Process mapping and data mining techniques can help it better plan a long-term strategy for reducing debt, allocate resources …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

HMRC is restricted in its ability to increase capacity in the short term. In the long term, it should look to build on its existing plans to develop the tools and powers to better manage the range of taxpayers’ needs …

Partially accepted

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

h) Estimate how the scale of demand from specific pressures, such as new customers, vulnerable customers and companies becoming insolvent, may change, using proxy data sources where necessary. HMRC can then identify pressure points and adapt operational processes where needed, …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

g) Extend its segmentation analysis by considering the scale of debt against income, and the sectors in which businesses operate, to be able to identify taxpayers who have done well during the pandemic. Successful applications for grant claims and loans …

Partially accepted

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

HMRC needs to improve its understanding of customers to be able to support them and target activity appropriately. HMRC should do the following: f) Use a wider range of data to better understand how taxpayers’ financial positions have changed as …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

e) Identify how debt management needs to operate differently to deal with the changed nature and amount of debt. HMRC now has more old debt, and much of the pandemic debt will be difficult to collect quickly. Older debt becomes …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

d) Target much greater levels of return than before the pandemic. Given that taxpayers’ average levels of debt are much higher than before the pandemic, HMRC should aim for a significant increase in the total return from new and existing …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

c) Model the potential scale of work needed to manage debt effectively for different post-pandemic scenarios, in terms of speed and ease of debt collection. Assess whether HMRC has sufficient capacity to meet these scenarios.

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

HMRC faces a large increase in debt and the number of taxpayers in debt. Taxpayers are taking more time to pay off debts, which may mean more contact points with HMRC and different rates of escalation. To manage this workload …

Managing tax debt through the pandemic

HMRC should work with the rest of government, and, in particular, HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to: a) develop and communicate a strategy that sets out how recovering debt should change in light of …

The UK border: Post UK-EU transition period

In the immediate term, the government and departments should focus on the following areas: • Use the additional time from its revised timetable for introducing import controls to: address current risks, particularly relating to infrastructure and trader and haulier readiness; …

Improving the performance of major equipment contracts

c) The Department should be prepared to penalise suppliers for past poor performance when letting new contracts. While the Department is doing more to improve working relationships with suppliers, there remains the challenge of what to do if suppliers fail …

Implementing employment support schemes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

f) review how to organise HMRC’s compliance response to ensure that sufficient resources are committed to recover overpayments and fraudulent payments on both schemes where it is cost-effective to do so.

Implementing employment support schemes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

d) more quickly assess the total value of error and fraud; and explore the feasibility of commencing assessment activity earlier for future schemes so that some testing is undertaken while schemes are live;

Partially accepted

Implementing employment support schemes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

c) increase the emphasis on using preventative controls for tackling fraud and error in the new schemes. Where appropriate for future schemes, carry out more direct work with employees to ensure employers treat them according to scheme rules, and increase …

Progress with delivering the Emergency Services Network

ensures that the new network infrastructure contract has sufficient mechanisms and incentives to establish effective relationships and ensure value for money within this contract period, while supporting a wider strategy for how the Home Office will avoid being locked into …

Whole of Government Accounts 2017-18

As recommended previously, the Treasury should examine how it can: • provide more granular information on government spending, particularly around the purchase of goods and services • explain the sensitivity of the value of significant assets to changes in assumptions …

HS2: update following cancellation of Phase 2

In disposing of the land and property it no longer needs for the programme, DfT should be transparent about its value-for-money framework and how it has been implemented. DfT should also, as part of developing its framework, identify appropriate opportunities …

IMB Recommendations (69) — showing 50 strongest matches

Brinsford (2023)

The New heating system has many flaws, caused by an inadequate contract between suppliers & fitters and the MOJ. It has cost further thousands of pounds onto the original cost, all paid for by the public purse.

Aylesbury (2022)

Set tough targets, and appropriate penalties, in third party contracts for education, training and vocational skills delivery. Maintain business-like contract management to optimise delivery.

One major concern in the period covered by this report was the effectiveness of Amey Projects in providing an efficient service to the Prison. We are concerned that they have not been held properly accountable for their poor service and recommend that their appointment be reassessed and proper value for money achieved.

Buckley Hall (2024)

The contracts given to outside agencies, such as the maintenance contract given to AMEY, often do not provide the level of service which anyone would find acceptable. They are slow to progress, expensive, often do not cover the required repairs and the quality of the work is not always good. Is it not possible to look more closely at what …

Buckley Hall (2025)

The Minister should review the maintenance contract with Amey, which the Board views as expensive and ineffective, and which hampers staff from carrying out necessary work such as updating the television signal and repairing laundry facilities and toilets.

Ministry of Justice

Are there plans to review the lengths of contract given to prison food providers that would allow for more flexibility in securing best value and quality, and thereby better use of the public purse?

Eastwood Park (2020)

Is it considered to be best value for Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to fund the manufacture of urgently needed replacement windows and fire doors by prison industries in 2018 and 2020, respectively, and then deliver and take them into store at Leyhill and Eastwood Park prisons, only subsequently to decline funding to install them?

Whitemoor (2021)

Will the prison service please review its approach to securing value for money in contracts for building works? Yet again a refurbishment project (this time of the main kitchen at Whitemoor) has been delayed by sub-contractors passing work from company to company until the job reached a firm whose staff did not have the necessary security clearance; the cladding appears …

Swinfen Hall (2021)

How is the effectiveness of the current contract being evaluated?

Holme House (2021)

The Board recommends that the Prison Service address the cumbersome content and lack of clarity around contracts with external service providers, as understanding their content is critical for the Board's monitoring.

Highpoint (2021)

The service provided by GFSL is still a major cause for concern. The Board requests an urgent review of the works maintenance contract to ensure it fully meets the ongoing needs of a challenging prison environment.

The contract with DHL needs to be reviewed and reinforced to ensure that the company abides by their contractual obligations (see section 5.1 paragraph 6).

Aylesbury (2021)

Set high-quality targets, and appropriate penalties, in third-party contracts for education, training and vocational skill delivery. Maintain business-like contract management to ensure proper delivery.

North Sea Camp (2022)

The IMB is concerned by the time taken to complete routine maintenance jobs, and the issues around the transfer of prisoners’ property. These are issues that are provided by contracted out services and the Board is concerned that contract failures do not result in penalties to encourage compliance.

Pentonville (2023)

When will action be taken to review the performance by GFSL of its contractual obligations? Its continued poor performance means that conditions for prisoners are neither decent nor humane, and are becoming increasingly less so every year.

Long Lartin (2023)

Amey performance. The 2022 annual report cited repeated serious failings in the performance of Amey. The Prison Service responded that ‘the contract is managed and monitored through a range of metrics and escalation processes’. The Board has found no evidence to support this claim. How will the Prison Service ensure that Amey provides a satisfactory maintenance service?

Portland (2024)

What steps is HMPPS taking to address the poor service provided by external suppliers, with particular attention on the quality of service provided by Serco with regard to the transport of prisoners?

Cookham Wood (2024)

Will the Minister examine the costs incurred by the YCS and the wider HMPPS in this project (not least the penalties incurred in terminating contracts early, such as will have been the case with Novus, the education provider)?

Portland (2025)

HMPPS should take steps to address the poor service provided by external suppliers, with particular attention on the quality of service provided by Serco with regard to the transport of prisoners.

Brinsford (2023)

When will the Ministry of Justice write adequate contracts that at least favour the prison and not the contractors?

Ministry of Justice

Downview (2021)

Incorporate robust contract management processes for centralised contracting (e.g., PACT) to allow local establishments to effectively performance manage, particularly for forthcoming procurement exercises regarding family engagement.

Long Lartin (2022)

Will the Prison Service play an active role in the management and monitoring of this contract to ensure that there is a marked improvement in the performance of Amey?

Thameside (2023)

The Board remains concerned regarding the management of the education contract and that the ‘wider review of education contracts’ in private prisons has failed to drive the improvement promised, despite the education provider having severely underperformed.

Standford Hill (2023)

Is the Prison Service satisfied with the performance of GFSL?

Portland (2023)

Monitoring of service provided by external contractors

Holme House (2023)

Why is the Prison Service tied into a contract to purchase food from a company that has shortages, is inflexible and provides poor-quality items on occasion? When will this contract be up for re-tender?

Aylesbury (2023)

Actively monitor and hold accountable third-party contractors to ensure value for money and the best service delivery for Aylesbury, particularly in relation to health and education contracts which are so vital to positive outcomes.

Governor / Director

Winchester (2024)

What can be done to further hold to account Practice Plus Group's activities for the purposes of monitoring delivery of healthcare services under terms of contract and PSO1700?

What actions are being taken to improve the management and efficiency of AMEY contracts?

Ministry of Justice

Aylesbury (2024)

Improve the structuring and supervision of third-party contracts so they can be more successfully managed at the point of delivery. In turn, this should raise the quality of services delivered to prisoners, in particular in health, education and vocational training, whilst bearing down on cost.

Ministry of Justice

Wandsworth (2025)

Support to prisoners from service providers has been adversely affected by delays in tendering and length and quality of contracts. What is being done to rectify this serious issue?

What action will HMPPS take to ensure that the healthcare contract is properly managed?

Bullingdon (2025)

How will the Prison Service resolve these matters with the outsourced providers?

Brinsford (2025)

From the Board’s continued observations, the education contract is still not fit for purpose. It has always proved very difficult to hold the provider to account and to ensure that the prison gets good education provision. Not enough is being done to motivate or encourage prisoners to attend regularly or consistently. When will a review be commissioned to look at …

Brinsford (2023)

The contract for the supply and fitting of the new boilers throughout the prison was wholly inadequate. This contract failed to cover the flushing out of the old pipes and failed to fit individual thermostats to units, all adding further costs to the original price. And all at a cost to the public.

Ministry of Justice

Lancaster Farms (2022)

To address shortcomings in the contracts for resettlement activity, canteen provision and education/training.

Wandsworth (2020)

Although some improvements have been made, should the relationship with DHL, the provider of canteen products for prisoners, be reviewed, based on the poor performance experienced this year?

Leicester (2020)

Last year the Board reported the problems with Amey Facilities Management, and the minister’s response acknowledged the problems and indicated that changes had been made to the company’s management structure and resourcing and that there would be a positive approach to the first-time fix of reactive repairs. Planned changes in the commercial department would produce an improvement in receiving estimates …

Ministry of Justice

Highpoint (2020)

The service provided by Gov Facility Services Limited (GFSL) is still a major cause for concern. The Board requests an urgent review of the works maintenance contract to ensure it fully meets the ongoing needs of a challenging prison environment. Failure to do so seriously impacts on outcomes for the prisoners. (See 5.1.3)

The quality of the service provided by Amey needs to improve quickly and to become effective.

Full Sutton (2020)

Re-examine, with the service provider, the cost of telephone calls made by prisoners to mobile phones, with a view to reducing this.

Featherstone (2020)

The performance of the education provider has been consistently poor and fallen short of the required outcomes, with no significant penalties being operated. How can the Prison Service take a more proactive role in both the negotiation and monitoring of the contract process, to ensure that public funds are well spent to achieve the agreed outcomes?

Channings Wood (2020)

How do you intend to bring down the exorbitant cost of often quite mundane repairs and improvements? And why is more use of the prisoners’ skills not tapped into, if only for basic jobs?

Winchester (2021)

Any necessary improvements that require central budgeting approval take far too long to get through the process. What is the prison service’s plan to deal with the long-standing surveillance issues which the IMB will identify in a separate letter, and the continuing problem of the defective vehicle entrance barrier? (See section 4.7).

The Board requests that if healthcare contractors’ contracts do not include a requirement to permit the Board’s sight of contract documents, excluding only financial and patient confidentiality issues, they are revised to do so (see section 6.1).

The Mount (2021)

The Prison Service needs to review what lessons can be learned when evaluating tenders and planning for changes in healthcare providers.

Stafford (2021)

Due to the failure of HMPPS over recent years to address the issue, will the Minister ensure that the pay inequalities between what residents can earn within a private prison versus a state run prison are removed?

Ministry of Justice

The Board requests that the Prison Service confirm the structure within the service that ensures that the contracts performance is being achieved in accordance with the signed contract.

The Board’s strong recommendation is that the contract with Amey should be investigated and reviewed as poor maintenance of the prison is impacting negatively on all aspects of life at Garth prison for both prisoners and staff.

Ministry of Justice

Featherstone (2021)

This year again saw the transfer of another major contract (pharmacy) which caused significant issues in the supply of adequate services to prisoners. This follows on from the previous transfer of contracts, e.g. education and maintenance, which initially resulted in substandard provision for prisoners. In the light of these initial failures, the procurement process must be questioned.

PHSO Casework Decisions (5)

P-004761 — HM Revenue and Customs

Mr D complained about HMRC collection of an income tax underpayment and interest charged for late repayment.

UK Government Jan 2026

P-004763 — HM Revenue and Customs

Mr N complains that HMRC has not correctly applied part 1300 of its Admin Law Manual (ADML1300) to his case. He also considers HMRC’s consideration of this issue is not in line with our Principles for Remedy and the HMRC Charter.

UK Government Jan 2026

P-004703 — UK Research and Innovation

Dr J complains UKRI misadvised him in 2021 when it told him it would consider amending the terms of its contract with his company.

UK Government Jan 2026

P-003708 — Rural Payments Agency

Mr E complains on behalf of four companies about the service they received from the Rural Payments Agency.

UK Government Jul 2025

P-001222 — HM Revenue & Customs

Mr H complained about HM Revenue & Customs' (HMRC) consideration of his claim for reimbursement of the professional fees he said he incurred as a result of its VAT enquiry into his business between 2016 and 2019.

UK Government Dec 2021

LGO / SPSO Decisions (88)

22-005-902 — Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to pay the complainant’s legal fees. A court of law is the suitable body to decide liability for financial loss. It is not unreasonable to the complainant to seek a legal remedy in court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2022

22-005-291 — Birmingham City Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a request for information about Business Improvement District payers. This is because the information has now been provided.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2022

24-005-006 — Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council set annual rent for a carpark. There is not enough evidence of fault in how the Council made its decision to justify our involvement.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2024

25-000-679 — City of Wolverhampton Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s involvement in the termination of his lease agreement with his landlord. This is because we could not achieve any worthwhile outcome for Mr X.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2025

21-016-648 — Thurrock Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s disposal of her belongings from a garage it repossessed without contacting her. This is because it would be reasonable for her to take the matter to court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Mar 2022

22-002-503 — East Sussex County Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council’s highways wastes taxpayers’ money, fails to deal with routine maintenance, and gave dishonest information to refute his claim for damage to his vehicle. We cannot achieve what Mr X wants and he can reasonably use his legal remedy if …

LGO (Local Government & … Transport And Highways May 2022

23-012-095 — Greater London Authority

Mr X complains about how the Authority installed and carried out updates to his home under the Warmer Homes Scheme. Mr X says this caused him distress and the loss of use of his property. The Ombudsman has discontinued the complaint as an alternative remedy is available to resolve the …

LGO (Local Government & … Housing Not Upheld Apr 2024

23-020-594 — Torbay Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision terminate a commercial lease and failed to provide an alternative unit. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The complaint is late and we …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2024

23-021-042 — Lancashire County Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr C’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to instruct his company to pursue a claim for tax rebates on its behalf. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council causing Mr C injustice and it would be reasonable for him …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2024

23-016-884 — Luton Borough Council

Summary: Mr X complained the Council did not explain his company would need to apply to join an Approved Providers List to continue to work with the Council. The Council’s failure to ensure all providers were aware they would need to apply to the new APL to continue working with …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Upheld Jul 2024

24-004-456 — Blackpool Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to contact the complainant at their correspondence address. We cannot achieve the £25,000 financial compensation the complainant is seeking. Such compensation claims are matters for the courts.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2024

24-017-526 — Warwick District Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete its complaints procedure or pay the offered compensation. The Council has agreed to increase the compensation in recognition of the failures. We are satisfied with this proposal.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Upheld Jul 2025

25-009-552 — Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s role relating during enforcement action by another agency. This is because the Council have already responded and provided Mr X an explanation. Further investigation would not achieve any worthwhile outcome.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Oct 2025

24-021-944 — London Borough of Hillingdon

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s actions in relation to a business she runs in a Council-owned property. We have not investigated all aspects of her complaint, as it would be reasonable for her to pursue some matters through the courts. We find the Council at fault for poor …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Upheld Oct 2025

24-017-473 — Lichfield District Council

Summary: Mr X complained the Council introduced planning validation fees that had no legal basis. We found this was a matter for the courts but there was fault by the Council as it failed to show its action in not returning the full planning fee when rejecting invalid applications was …

LGO (Local Government & … Planning Upheld Nov 2025

25-020-287 — London Borough of Havering

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories

25-011-260 — London Borough of Islington

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories

24-016-375 — London Borough of Newham

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories

21-013-383 — Milton Keynes Council

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about loss to the public purse from how the Council administered a council tax account. This impacts all or most of the people in the Council’s area and is therefore not within our legal remit.

LGO (Local Government & … Benefits And Tax Jan 2022

21-011-615 — London Borough of Barking & Dagenham

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about access to a garage rented from the Council. The complaint is made late and the complainant can seek a remedy in court for any losses.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Jan 2022

21-016-318 — Newcastle upon Tyne City Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council publicised a tendering opportunity. This is because there is no evidence of fault by the Council or the company acting on its behalf.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Mar 2022

21-000-856 — Birmingham City Council

Summary: Ms X complains the Council is charging her more to rent a garage than it does council tenants and has failed to take action to prevent residents from blocking her garage. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council dealt with Ms X’s reports of residents blocking …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Upheld Mar 2022

22-001-112 — London Borough of Southwark

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s disposal of his belongings from a garage it rented without contacting him. This is because it would be reasonable for him to take the matter to court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2022

22-002-887 — Liverpool City Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about contractual matters. This is because the courts are better placed to consider the complaint.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Jun 2022

22-005-475 — London Borough of Hounslow

this complaint about the Council’s decision to end Miss X’s garage tenancy agreement. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2022

22-008-070 — Arun District Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the costs the Council charged when Mr X sold his beach-hut. That is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify our involvement.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Oct 2022

22-006-851 — East Suffolk Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about access to a beach-hut. That is because Mr and Mrs X’s injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Oct 2022

24-004-900 — Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s increase of its licence fee for renting space at a business centre. This is because the issue is not subject to investigation under the Local Government Act 1974. It is in any event a dispute over whether the Council’s actions …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Aug 2024

23-019-545 — London Borough of Croydon

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council had failed to take effective action to stop a resident blocking access to his garage. It had also failed to respond to his communications about the problems or refund the garage rent despite promising to do so. We have found fault in the …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Upheld Aug 2024

24-005-646 — North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the presence of asbestos and damage to a business premises that the complainant leases from the Council. This is because the issues raised are better considered by the courts.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Sep 2024

24-018-383 — West Sussex County Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council commissions care services. That is because it does not meet the tests set out in our Assessment Code.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Apr 2025

24-019-443 — Cheshire West & Chester Council

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a wayleave agreement. This is because it is about a commercial transaction relating to industrial or business premises on land the Council owns and leases to the complainant.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Apr 2025

25-003-854 — London Borough of Lambeth

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about losses he incurred due to his property being used as temporary accommodation because it is more appropriate for him to take court action and because we could not achieve the outcome he wants.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Sep 2025

24-022-800 — London Borough of Redbridge

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his Right to Buy application. The Council accepts there was an error in the sale price used and has reinstated the offer, based on the valuation price. This puts Mr X back to the position he would have …

LGO (Local Government & … Housing Upheld Oct 2025

24-023-151 — Worcestershire County Council

Summary: Mr X complained of a contractual dispute between his care company and the Council. Mr X also complained the Council failed to safeguard, communicate and complete care reviews for service users. I have ended this investigation as the courts are best placed to consider contractual matters. The remaining part …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Not Upheld Oct 2025

25-010-617 — Bristol City Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to require contractors to operate with either a Private Hire Vehicle or a Public Service Vehicle licence when providing school transport. This is because his complaint is late and I have found no good reason why he could …

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Nov 2025

25-009-087 — Havant Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council ending his business tenancy. The Courts are best placed to deal with contractual matters.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Nov 2025

24-011-654 — North Somerset Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about invoices raised by the Council to collect a business levy. If Mr X disputes his liability for the charges, it is reasonable for him to take the matter to court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Dec 2024

24-011-934 — St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint the Council delayed paying early years providers for commissioned places. That is because there is no good reason the complainant cannot take the matter to court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Dec 2024

201103520 — Scottish Prison Service

Mr C, who was a prisoner, complained that the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) did not follow proper finance procedures when he received some cash by post in prison. When Mr C complained, the SPS acknowledged that there had been a mistake, and that procedures had not been followed. They also …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Prisons Upheld Apr 2012

201202654 — Business Stream

Ms C runs a dog grooming business from home. She complained that Business Stream phoned her and asked for details of her business without giving reasons for the call, then emailed her saying that they were the licensed provider for the water and waste water services for the business element …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Water Partly Upheld Aug 2013

201200872 — Business Stream

Mr C was the owner of a trough in a field. In 2008, he had experienced an increase in water consumption. He explained that at that time some work had been undertaken locally on water mains, so it was accepted that the increase was caused by that and the amount …

SPSO (Scottish Public Se… Water Upheld Aug 2013

PSOW-202300463 — Vale of Glamorgan Council

Miss L complained that the Vale of Glamorgan Council failed to acknowledge that she is entitled to a Council Tax reduction. Miss L further complained that the Council failed to communicate effectively with her, provided her with incorrect information, and did not respond to her concerns that had been raised …

PSOW (Public Services Om… Local Government Jun 2023

21-015-006 — Crawley Borough Council

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council damaged his property. This is because it would be reasonable for him to go to court.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Feb 2022

21-006-778 — Northumberland County Council

Summary: The Council was at fault when it incorrectly advised Mr X about the type of licence needed for his new business. The Council has agreed to pay Mr X £300 in recognition of avoidable frustration and raised expectations caused by this fault. The Council has also agreed to our …

LGO (Local Government & … Environment And Regulation Upheld Feb 2022

21-015-159 — Basildon Borough Council

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint because it is about a contract dispute between the Council and the complainant and the matter has been subject to the commencement of court proceedings.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Feb 2022

21-013-547 — Central Bedfordshire Council

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Councils decision to award contacts to the complainants’ competitors. It would have been reasonable for Mr X to take legal action if he felt the Council had not conducted the tender properly.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories Apr 2022

22-000-595 — Winchester City Council

Summary: Mr X complains about matters concerning products he and others are able to sell at a local market. We will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2022

21-018-547 — Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s contract with a competitor business which impacted on his business. We will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault by the Council and an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2022

22-001-353 — Somerset West and Taunton Council

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that a parish council was overcharged for a Council service. This is because we cannot investigate complaints made by public bodies such as parish councils.

LGO (Local Government & … Other Categories May 2022

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