First contact
People who contact us often need help with making their complaint or advice on where to complain.
People who contact us often need help with making their complaint or advice on where to complain.
Advice and signposting: 3,340 enquiries
If an enquiry is not for us, we can suggest who might be able to help. Last year, we advised people on where to complain about issues ranging from financial services to the television show The X Factor.
Help with making a complaint: 15,591 enquiries
A complaint should usually be made to the public body concerned before being brought to the Ombudsman. We advise on how to do this and how to bring the matter back to us if the response is unsatisfactory.
The law requires that health complaints must be made to us in writing, and complaints about parliamentary bodies must be referred by an MP.
If the complaint has already been made to the public body, we can help with putting it in writing, or finding an MP to refer it to us.
On 1,496 occasions last year, the complainant chose not to progress their complaint further, or did not put the complaint in writing or obtain an MP referral.
