BackIncorrect decisions, delays and wrong advice are the top reasons for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman upholding the highest proportion of complaints about the Home Office than any other government department, the report reveals.
The report outlines the unresolved complaints the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman investigated about all government departments last year.
It provides detailed information about the 'big four' departments: the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which made up more than three quarters of the investigations about government departments and agencies in 2015-16.
The Ombudsman service upheld 75% of complaints about the Home Office, compared to 39% about the Department for Work and Pensions, 36% about the Ministry of Justice and 10% about Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs. Overall in 2015-16 the Ombudsman service upheld 40% of complaints it investigated, including about the NHS in England.
The top reasons for complaints across all departments and their agencies were about incorrect decisions and poor communication.
Both the DWP and HMRC stand out as organisations with effective second tier complaint systems in place, which means that complaints are more likely to be resolved before they reach the Ombudsman service. Both departments also demonstrate a desire to learn from complaints and improve their services, according to the report.
Source: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - UK
