Visually impaired man given days to pay £60k bill

A visually impaired elderly man given two weeks to pay a £60,000 care bill after being sent letters he could not read will be given a formal apology.

Worcestershire County Council has been ordered to apologise to the man and his daughter by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO).

The ombudsman said the authority failed to ensure the man, named only as Mr C, understood what was being requested of him.

A council spokesperson said the authority could not comment on individual cases, but it was "aware of this report and the actions given to the council by the ombudsman".

Mr C began receiving home care in January 2023 and, over the following months, expressed confusion over whether he needed to pay for his care.

The council wrote to him offering to carry out a financial assessment but did not receive a reply. It then sent more letters, saying he needed to pay the full cost of his care.

In November 2024 the authority told his daughter, Mrs B, he owed more than £60,000 and gave her 14 days to pay.

At the time, it was noted Mr C had lost 90% of his sight.

Mrs B complained being given two weeks to pay the bill was unreasonable and the council failed to consider her father's visual impairment or vulnerability.

The ombudsman said Mr C expressed confusion over the costs "on several occasions, and a duty team worker highlighted the problem in August 2023".

"[The council] could have anticipated those needs and made simple adjustments as early as January 2023, but it failed to do so and missed many further opportunities over the next 22 months to put matters right," their report said.

The council "caused Mr C confusion and uncertainty", the ombudsman added, and allowed a large debt to accrue unnecessarily.

In August 2025, after reassessing Mr C's finances, the council said the debt was about £35,000.

It was told to apologise and pay Mr C £300 and Mrs B £150. It must also help them set up a repayment plan and provide additional staff training.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.