Claims Against Local Authorities

Local authorities cover a wide range of services, primarily children’s care homes and establishments. A recent UK inquiry conducted in 2021 has highlighted an epidemic of child abuse that panned out over several decades from the late 1960s most notably under Lambeth Council. Even in the present day children who are supposed to be protected by local authorities are experiencing abuse in care and social services.

If you believe that you deserve compensation for abuse you have suffered in a local authority children’s home then please get in touch with our team here at TDP Solicitors. We are an email away from helping you move forward with your claim and getting the compensation you deserve.

What can you claim against a local authority?

Sadly, the inadequate practice of local authorities is not a rare occasion, with many having faced criticism for failing to offer acceptable care. There has been a recent investigation of child abuse taking place in local authority children’s homes across the UK, most notably that of Lambeth council, where there was wide-scale abuse of children starting in the 60s and continuing for many decades after.

Local authorities are responsible for providing a high level of care for vulnerable people. When local authorities fail to provide adequate care for the people who need it most, they let the community down. As a consequence of this negligence, the council is liable for paying compensation to survivors.

When suing the council for negligence that occurred in a local authority children’s home, you can typically claim in two areas. The two areas fall into general damages and special damages.

General damages refer to the pain and suffering you have experienced while at a children’s care home. General damages also refer to any changes that you have had to make to your lifestyle and the impact the abuse has had on your mental health.

The second component you can claim is special damages. Special damages refer to such things as loss of earnings, medical expenses, transport expenses for medical treatment, and any changes you’ve had to make to your home as a result of the abuse you suffered at a local authority children’s home.

Claiming negligence from the council

If you’re looking to claim compensation from a local authority then you’ll need to show that your abuse happened as a result of the failure of care on their part. Get in touch with us today and we can help you arrange a free consultation to discuss your case and make a decision about moving forward and who is best to claim compensation against in your specific case.

Are there time limits for making a claim?

Claims against a local authority usually need to be made within three years. Typically, If the abuse occurred in childhood, you have until your 21st birthday to issue court proceedings to file a claim for the abuse you suffered.

However, it often takes survivors of abuse years to talk about what happened to them. In some circumstances, the court will allow claims to proceed outside the usual window to compensate for this. It is always worth getting in touch with us regarding your case and we can advise what is best moving forward.

Get in touch

At TDP solicitors, we operate via a no-win, no-fee basis; providing that you assist us with everything we need to move your compensation claim forward, you will not have to pay us a penny unless compensation is awarded. Once you have contacted TDP Solicitors you can choose the lawyer that deals with your case; you decide whether you would prefer a male or a female lawyer. To begin your claim please contact us at [email protected].