An ombudsman overview
There is a wide range of ombudsman schemes in the UK. There are also schemes which act like ombudsmen in being able to investigate complaints about businesses, service providers and government agencies. This page gives a selection of the most useful schemes, with a link to each organisation's own website for more information.
To read an overview of the schemes featured on this site, click on the relevant title in the green box on the right, or on the links below.
Most public sector ombudsman schemes will only investigate complaints about maladministration. To find out more about what that means, have a look at What is maladministration? on this site.
The British and Irish Ombudsman Association
The British and Irish Ombudsman Association (BIOA) is an association for public and private sector ombudsmen schemes in the UK. BIOA provides criteria for recognition of ombudsmen, and promotes best practice.
BIOA has two types of members:
- Full ('voting') members. These schemes have met the BIOA membership criteria (see below) and are approved by the BIOA Validation Committee.
- 'Associate' members. These include any organisation which, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, is 'interested in and supports the objects of the Association and has significant relevant expertise in complaint handling'. Generally speaking, these organisations do not meet all the voting membership criteria, in particular, that of operational independence.
Full details of the BIOA membership criteria can be found on the British and Irish Ombudsman Association website.
The membership criteria for full 'voting' members are essentially:
- the independence of the Ombudsman from those whom the Ombudsman has the power to investigate
- effectiveness
- fairness
- public accountability
The following ombudsman schemes are full 'voting' members of BIOA:
The Energy Ombudsman
The Energy Ombudsman investigates complaints about gas and electricity suppliers in the UK.
Energy Ombudsman
Two ombudsman schemes for Estate Agents
Two independent ombudsman schemes approved by the Office of Fair Trading for resolving disputes related to buying or selling residential property in the UK.
The Property Ombudsman
Ombudsman Services: Property
The Financial Ombudsman Service
The FOS investigates complaints about financial services providers such as banks, insurance companies and mortgage providers throughout the UK.
Financial Ombudsman Service
The Health Service Ombudsman
Investigates complaints about the National Health Service (NHS) in England, including services provided or paid for by the NHS, care, and clinical decisions.
Health Service Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman Service
The HOS deals with disputes affecting housing providers in England, including all social landlords (e.g. housing associations) and some private landlords and management agents.
Housing Ombudsman Service
The Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) reviews complaints from students about universities in England and Wales.
Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
Has overall responsibility for the system for complaints against the police in England and Wales.
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO)
The Legal Ombudsman handles complaints by consumers about solicitors, barristers, legal executives and other regulated legal services providers.
Legal Ombudsman
The Local Government Ombudsman for England
The LGO investigates complaints made by or on behalf of members of the public that the actions of local government bodies have caused them injustice.
Local Government Ombudsman for England
The Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Covers complaints about Northern Ireland government departments and their agencies, and also other public bodies in Northern Ireland, including local councils, health services and education boards.
Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Ombudsman Services - Communications
Formerly known as Otelo, this is a free, independent ombudsman service to resolve disputes between consumers and some telephone and internet service providers throughout the UK.
Ombudsman Services - Communications
The Parliamentary Ombudsman
Also known as the PCA (Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration). The PCA can investigate complaints about actions (or inactions) of central government departments and other public bodies throughout the UK, where the complainant has suffered injustice as a result.
Parliamentary Ombudsman
The Pensions Ombudsman
Investigates and decides complaints and disputes about the way that pension schemes are run throughout the UK.
Pensions Ombudsman
The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI)
The PONI provides an independent complaints service for members of the public about the conduct of police officers in Northern Ireland.
Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
Investigates complaints about all public services in Wales, including local authorities, the NHS, and services funded by the Welsh Assembly.
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
The Removals Ombudsman
Investigates complaints about removals firms which are members of the National Guild of Removers and Storers.
Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Considers complaints about the Scottish Parliament and government departments, local authorities, housing associations, the National Health Service, and a number of other public bodies.
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
The Waterways Ombudsman
The Waterways ombudsman investigates complaints about British Waterways, which maintains rivers and canals in England, Scotland and Wales.
Waterways Ombudsman
The following are complaint-handling bodies and ombudsman schemes which are not full members of BIOA:
The Adjudicator
The Adjudicator will look at complaints about delays, mistakes or unfair treatment by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). HMRC deals with income tax, national insurance contributions, child benefit and tax credits.
Adjudicator
The Furniture Ombudsman
A conciliation and adjudication scheme run by FIRA (the Furniture Industry Research Association) for disputes between consumers and FIRA members - kitchen, bathroom and furniture suppliers.
The Furniture Ombudsman
IDRS
IDRS offers a range of dispute resolution schemes such as CISAS, the ABTA arbitration scheme for holiday disputes, and tenancy deposit disputes.
IDRS
The Independent Case Examiner
The ICE investigates complaints about the Child Support Agency in Great Britain and the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency.
Independent Case Examiner
The Independent Complaints Reviewer
The ICR considers complaints about several government departments and agencies, including Land Registry, the Charity Commission and National Archives.
Independent Complaints Reviewer
The Independent Review Service
The IRS carries out independent reviews for dissatisfied customers of the discretionary social fund in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Independent Review Service
The Information Commissioner
The Information Commissioner will investigate complaints into data protection issues, and (from January 2005) complaints about access to information held by government departments and local authorities. The Commissioner covers the whole of the UK.
Information Commissioner
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO)
Investigates complaints from prisoners and those subject to probation supervision in England and Wales.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
One stop shop for complaints about legal practitioners in Scotland.
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Standards for England
Standards for England (formerly the Standards Board) monitors the investigation of complaints about the behaviour of local councillors and members of other local authorities in England, and police authorities in England and Wales.
Standards for England
January 2012
