AI could be responsible for huge increase in Sheffield social care complaints
Sheffield City Council received 317 adult care complaints during 2025/26, compared with 177 the previous year
AI could be behind a 79 per cent increase in adult social care complaints in Sheffield, a report to a council meeting suggested.
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317 new complaints about adult care were logged by Sheffield City Council during 2025/26, compared with 177 in 2024/25, which represents an increase of 79 per cent.
According to an agenda report to the council's adult health and social care policy committee, common complaint themes included delays, quality of care and staff conduct.
The council report notes the large increase in complaints should not be interpreted as a deterioration in the quality of services.
It instead suggested that the growing availability of artificial intelligence (AI) could have been a "potential contributing factor".
The report notes that AI may “make it easier for some members of the public to prepare detailed complaints, requests for review and responses to the council’s findings”.
The report suggests the council can tell by looking at how the complaint content is presented that AI has been used.
The report also suggested the increase may partly reflect greater awareness of the ‘right to complain’, thanks to the councils improved access to complaint channels and a culture of encouraging people to speak up when something has not met their expectations.
The report said the average response time for statutory complaints during 2025/26 was 40 working days, an improvement of 11 working days compared with 2024/25.
In 2025/26, 161 remedies were recorded in relation to eligible statutory complaint closures, with apologies being the most frequently recorded remedy, accounting for 106 cases.
The council defines a meaningful apology as one that acknowledges what went wrong, recognises the effect on the person and explains the action being taken to put matters right or prevent recurrence.
The report states a financial payment is considered where this is a “proportionate remedy” for the injustice experienced, but an upheld complaint does not automatically require financial compensation.
The council also recorded 22 compliments in the complaints system in 2025/26.
Compliments recognised staff for being kind, understanding, supportive and empathetic in their contact with people and families, the report states.
Other compliments highlighted the positive impact of prompt assessment, equipment provision and adaptations in improving safety, independence and quality of life.
The complaints report will be discussed by councillors at the adult health and social care policy committee meeting on 21 October.