Complaints procedure
We take all complaints we receive very seriously.
Complaints procedure
If you are dissatisfied with the service you receive from us, you can contact HM Treasury.
What is a complaint?
The Treasury defines a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction with the services provided by the Treasury. This is not the same as general correspondence from members of Parliament, the public expressing disagreement with a policy, or requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
How to make a complaint
You can complain in writing to:
The Complaints Manager
Correspondence and Information Rights
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
You can also submit your complaint using our Online contact form.
When you contact us please give us full details and include information, if you have it, about the part of the department you felt did not give you an appropriate service. Please use the list below to ensure you have given us all relevant details:
- A clear description of your complaint
- What you would like us to do
- information on whether it is an original complaint or a follow-up to a reply you were not satisfied with
- your full postal address and/or e-mail address (if you have one)
How we treat your complaints
When we receive a complaint, we immediately refer it to an appropriate staff member who will then carry out an investigation.
We will reply in writing within 20 working days from when we receive your complaint. If it is not possible for us to fully respond to you within this time, we will let you know and tell you what we are doing to deal with your complaint, when you can expect the full reply.
We will always acknowledge where things could have been done better and tell you what we will do to avoid the same thing happening again. Equally, if we don’t agree with your complaint, we will let you know why.
Still not satisfied?
If you have gone through our complaints procedure and you are still not satisfied, then you can ask for the case to be reviewed independently and to receive a reply from the responsible senior manager in the Correspondence and Information Rights Team.
What to do if you’re not satisfied
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your formal complaint you can ask your local MP to refer it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
You have to go through your MP – you can’t approach the ombudsman directly. The ombudsman investigates complaints where government departments or other public bodies have not acted properly or fairly, or have provided a poor service. Government departments have to co-operate with the ombudsman by law.
Appealing against a decision by the Ombudsman
If you are unhappy with the Ombudsman’s decision you can feedback directly to the Ombudsman.
Making contact with other Departments and HM Treasury’s agencies and public bodies
Each of our agencies has its own procedures. Please click on the appropriate link below for further details.