The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Service is set up to look at complaints about most council services.
The service is free, independent and impartial.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can investigate individual complaints about councils, all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies) and some other public service organisations. If they decide to investigate, they will look at whether organisations have made decisions the right way.
Ombudsman services
Dispute support
- provides advice and guidance to all parties while complaints are within the council’s complaints procedure
- acts as the initial point of assessment for cases that have exhausted the council’s complaints process
Dispute resolution
- undertakes investigations into cases that have been referred and remain unresolved following completion of a landlord’s internal complaints procedure
- investigates complaints to decide whether the organisation was at fault; where there is evidence, the complainant suffered injustice because of the organisation’s faults, the ombudsman will recommend how it should put things right. The ombudsman can also ask the organisation to change how it works to stop the same thing happening in future
LGSCO contact details
You can contact the LGSCO:
By phone: 0300 061 0614
By post: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Complaint Handling Code, self-assessment and performance
The Complaint Handling Code ('the Code’), sets out a process for organisations that will allow them to respond to complaints effectively and fairly. The purpose of the Code is to enable organisations to resolve complaints raised by individuals promptly, and to use the data and learning from complaints to drive service improvements. It will also help to create a positive complaint handling culture amongst staff and individuals.
The Code will act as a guide for individuals setting out what they may expect from an organisation when they make a complaint. Organisations should seek feedback from individuals in relation to their complaint handling as part of the drive to encourage a positive complaint and learning culture.
Organisations should have a single policy for dealing with complaints covered by the Code.
The principles, process and timescales in this Code are aligned with the Complaint Handling Code issued by the Housing Ombudsman. This means that organisations who fall under the jurisdiction of both Ombudsmen should be able to provide a co-ordinated complaint handling process across services covered by both Codes.
View the LGSCO Complaint Handling Code.
The LGSCO has issued the Code as 'advice and guidance' for all local councils in England under section 23(12A) of the Local Government Act 1974. This means that councils should consider the Code when developing complaint handling policies and procedures and when responding to complaints. If a council decides not to follow the Code they would be expected to have a good reason for this.
The Code only applies to complaints where there is no statutory process in place. This means that some complaints about children’s services, adult social care and public health are not covered by the expectations set out in the Code. The Code does not apply to complaints about the behaviour of locally elected officials.
The Code was launched in February 2024. Local councils are encouraged to adopt the Code as soon as they are able to do so.
The Code is considered good practice for other organisations that the LGSCO investigates except where there are statutory complaint handling processes in place.
The LGSCO states that organisations should produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge. This should include an annual self-assessment against the Code to ensure its complaint handling policy remains in line with its requirements.
If you wish to make a complaint about the council, we currently deal with this under the council's complaints system.
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