If you believe your local council has failed to provide a service, acted unfairly, or made a mistake, you are entitled to make a complaint. While most local authorities aim to deliver services fairly and effectively, problems do sometimes occur.
Step 1: Contact the service provider
Your first step should be to complain directly to the council department or service responsible. Contact details are usually available on the council’s website or via the Government’s online search function.
Step 2: Escalate to the council’s complaints officer
If the issue is not resolved, you can escalate your case to the council’s official complaints officer, who is responsible for reviewing complaints independently within the authority.
Step 3: Contact the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman
If you remain dissatisfied after the council’s response, you can take your complaint to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman provides a free, impartial service to investigate complaints about councils, covering issues such as service delivery failures, poor decision-making, or lack of service provision.
The Ombudsman will only investigate once the council has had an opportunity to resolve the complaint. Its decision is final unless new evidence emerges.
Step 4: Judicial review
If you are unhappy with the Ombudsman’s ruling, your final option is to seek a judicial review at the High Court.
Every year, the Ombudsman publishes an annual review of council complaint handling, offering transparency and accountability across local authorities.
