Complaints procedure
Use the complaints procedure page to explain:
- what people can do if they have a problem with how the organisation has treated them
- how to take an existing complaint further
Do not use it to:
- explain related background or procedures
- describe internal procedures
If you create a complaints procedure page, a link to it will appear automatically in the ‘Corporate information’ section on your organisation and ‘About us’ pages.
Make sure your content follows the Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide and tone of voice guidance.
What to include
Explain:
- what type of complaints the organisation will look at
- what type of complaints the organisation will not look at (for example because they’re handled in a different way)
- how to make a complaint - if there are different procedures for different types of complaint, consider creating separate subheadings for each
- how to contact someone about the complaint
Do not duplicate information covered elsewhere. For example, if there’s a procedure for complaints about personal data which is covered on the ‘Personal information charter’ page, do not add it here too.
You can also choose to include:
- what happens when the organisation receives a complaint
- when people can expect a response
- what to do if someone is not satisfied with how the organisation has handled a complaint
- your formal service standards document, if you have one