According to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman families in the South East are more likely to make complaints about children and education services.

Data from councils have been released in the South East for 2023-24 and the statistics released investigate all local authorities in England for the past 12 months.

The Ombudsman received 2,764 complaints and enquiries, 16 per cent were from the South East. The second highest percentage after London (24 per cent).

It equates to 29.8 per 100,000 people, the third highest behind London (47.2) and the South West (31.1).

Complaints and enquiries around children and education had the highest share across the UK with 35 per cent of complaints higher than the average at 8 per cent.

The highest area of complaints were about poor services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The area now dominates the Ombudsman’s casework, making up 26 per cent of all complaints the service received in the period and 42 per cent of all upheld complaints.

Fault was found in 92 per cent of the education cases investigated and numbers are increasing rapidly.

Out of the 141 complaints, 89 per cent of investigations were upheld compared to an average of 85 per cent in similar authorities.

In 3 per cent of upheld cases, Surrey County Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman. Similar jurisdictions had an average of 7 per cent.