Shrewsbury-based Wace Morgan Solicitors appealed to the Ombudsman on behalf of clients to get a fair deal for vulnerable residents in the county.

Its team of specialist lawyers complained about cases where clients and their families had been asked to pay contributions to their care home fees by the council, when the correct process had not been followed.

Wace Morgan’s Sallie-Anne O’Byrne explained that the contributions were known as ‘third-party top-ups’ and could amount to thousands of pounds a year.

“We made representations to the Local Government Ombudsman on behalf of clients and Shropshire Council has been heavily criticised for automatically requesting third-party contributions which, in some cases had been requested unlawfully.

“We understand that the Authority has agreed, as a consequence, to review all such top-ups. However, to date we have not seen any evidence of a rigorous and comprehensive review, or that everyone in care homes, for whom a third-party top-up is being paid, has been individually notified.”
Mrs O’Byrne says that anyone who is in doubt about paying a third-party top-up fee should contact Wace Morgan Solicitors on 01743 280 100.

The firm is also holding a clinic on Saturday 17th March 2012 at the Mayfair Community Centre in Church Stretton from 10.00am until 2.00pm.

To book an appointment, please call the Elderly Care Team on 01743 280 100.