Complaints about the Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions encourages staff to record feedback about the services we provide. This helps us to identify and resolve most issues of concern to service users quickly, at the first point of contact. Where it is not possible to do so, the Department has a well developed, two stage complaint resolution process. Details are on the DWP complaints and procedures page.
Independent Case Examiner (ICE)
If a complainant is unhappy with the final business response they can ask the Department’s independent complaints reviewer, the Independent Case Examiner, to investigate.
The Independent Case Examiner’s Annual Report includes information about findings and recommendations arising from complaint investigations.
What ICE can and cannot investigate
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
A complainant may ask a Member of Parliament to escalate their complaint about the Department to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will usually consider whether the complainant has exhausted the relevant complaints resolution process (including ICE) before deciding whether to investigate.
Information about the number of DWP business complaints investigated by the Parliamentary Ombudsman is published annually, in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.
