The Adjudicator’s Office investigates complaints about HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and we investigate complaints about how the Home Office have handled claims for compensation, and review decisions on entitlement to compensation, under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
The Adjudicator’s Office looks into excessive delays, mistakes, discourtesy of staff, the use of discretion and poor or misleading advice, and will consider if the organisation has applied its rules, standards, guidance and codes of practice fairly and consistently. Our decisions are based on the factual evidence of the complaint or review request.
Applies the Advertising Codes and upholds standards in all media on behalf of consumers, business and society. The Codes (which cover TV, radio and non-broadcast including online claims and social media) are written by the Committee of Advertising Practice, part of the industry wing of the self-regulatory system. The broadcast side of the business is conducted in a co-regulatory partnership with the communications regulator Ofcom. The ASAs website has an online complaints form. It also deals with complaints referred by other agencies, including the Competition and Markets Authority. The ASA is recognised by the Government and Courts as the “established means” for dealing with misleading advertising under consumer protection legislation.
CEDR specialises in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. We are an independent non-profit organisation and a registered charity and our aim is to provide society with skills and solutions for effective dialogue, and to bring about sustainable change. To achieve this, we operate in four main ways: Promoting mediation through events, schemes and services; Providing dispute resolution for individuals, businesses and other organisations; Training mediators - to date, we've trained over 5,000 mediators worldwide; Offering consultancy to organisations to help prevent and resolve conflict.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments is the guardian of the processes used by Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to make public appointments on merit. The Commissioner’s role is as follows: To ensure that the best people get appointed to public bodies free of personal and political patronage; To regulate and monitor the policies and procedures of Ministers and their departments in making public appointments and audits those procedures; To investigate complaints from applicants for public appointments; To ensure that departments operate systems that allow every citizen who has skills and experience to contribute and who has the motivation and integrity to serve, to put herself/himself forward for appointment; To ensure that applicants are treated, throughout the public appointment process, in a manner that is fair, considerate, consistent, open and transparent; To promote good governance including diversity on our public boards.
IBAS considers complaints from customers of licensed gambling businesses who believe they have been treated unfairly. We welcome complaints about online gambling, bookmakers, casinos, bingo clubs, arcades and charity lotteries. Complaints are considered by our team of Case Managers and decisions are reached by members of our Adjudication Panel.
The Independent Case Examiner reviews complaints about certain government organisations that deal with benefits, work and financial support. We act as an impartial referee for people who; feel they have been treated unfairly or are unhappy with the way their complaint has been dealt with by the business or agency. We provide our service to users of: the Child Support Agency; Jobcentre Plus (including most work provider services); The Pension Service; the Disability and Carers Service; Debt Management (part of DWP); the Financial Assistance Scheme; the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division (Northern Ireland); Northern Ireland – benefits and pensions only (Department for Communities); the Independent Living Fund; the government’s Work Programme; Fit for Work (the government-funded advice service).
The Independent Complaints Reviewer provides an independent complaints review service for HM Land Registry. Complaints can include failure to meet standards of service, quality, speed and performance. The ICR cannot consider disputes about official decisions made by HM Land Registry or legal matters. Anyone (including the members of the public, businesses and professional advisors) may refer a complaint to the ICR.
The Lay Observer for Northern Ireland monitors complaints made by members of the public to the Law Society of Northern Ireland about the conduct of solicitors and the manner in which the complaints are dealt with by the Society. He also considers allegations made by individuals who are not satisfied with the Law Society's handling of complaints.
The Northern Ireland Certification Officer for Trade Unions and Employers' Associations is a statutory office that determines complaints concerning trade union elections, certain other ballots and breaches of trade union rules in Northern Ireland. The Certification Officer is also responsible for: Maintaining a list of trade unions and employers' associations; Receiving and scrutinising annual returns from trade unions and employers' associations; Ensuring observance of statutory requirements governing mergers between trade unions and between employers' associations; Overseeing the political funds and the finances of trade unions and employers' associations; and Certifying the independence of trade unions.