Our work with other organisations

We have a dedicated team that supports MPs with specific enquiries about our role, or with questions on behalf of their constituents.

If you’re an MP or elected representative looking for general information about our role and our approach to resolving complaints, you can find information on our website about:

• types of complaint we can help with
• how long it takes us to resolve a complaint
• how we make decisions
• examples of cases we have helped resolve
• how to raise a complaint about our service

If you’re an MP or elected representative with a specific question about our work or about a constituent’s complaint, you can contact us by email or phone: 

• Email us at: [email protected]
• Call our dedicated parliamentary helpline on 020 3487 2022. The helpline is open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Constituents can contact us directly about their complaint. 

The FCA is the regulator of most financial services in the UK. It's responsible for regulating the conduct of businesses and setting rules for businesses to follow, including the rules on how financial businesses handle complaints.

We work closely with the FCA, although we’re independent in the way we investigate and decide cases. We work with the FCA in three areas:

1. Governance – as the industry regulator, the FCA publishes our official rules and appoints our chairman and board of non-executive directors.
2. Responding to regulation – by understanding any changes the FCA makes to regulations, we make sure we’re ready for any changes in the type and number of complaints we receive.
3. Information sharing – we share information with the FCA so that both organisations can work effectively. We also share any trends and common problems we see that could inform future regulation.

Our joint memorandum of understanding (PDF 158KB) provides a framework for how we work together.

Wider Implications Framework

The Wider Implications Framework is a way that members of the regulatory family work with each other, and other parties as appropriate, on issues that could have a wider impact across the financial services industry.

You can find out about the role of the Wider Implications Framework in guiding cooperation between members of the regulatory family on the FCA’s website.

The FSCS is the UK's compensation “safety net” for customers of regulated financial businesses. They pay compensation if a firm is unable, or likely to be unable, to pay claims against it. This is usually because it has stopped trading or has been declared in default.

In cases like these, we might not look into a complaint – but consumers might be able to make a claim using the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

The FSCS website has more information about it's role.

Financial trade associations are founded and funded by businesses in the finance industry. We work with these associations to:

• share our knowledge
• make sure we’re aware of trends in the industry and issues affecting businesses and their customers

We hold events and meetings with trade associations and local businesses across the UK so we can:

• improve our understanding of the needs of businesses and customers
• explain the support we offer businesses to handle complaints

Read more about the work we do, and our latest minutes on our website.

We regularly meet consumer groups and charities, including through our regular consumer liaison group, to:

• raise awareness of our service, and insight on emerging issues and complaint trends
• share our approach to handling complaints about businesses
• improve our awareness of the problems that consumers are experiencing with financial businesses

The Consumer Liaison Group meets twice a year, and you can find our latest published minutes below.

To carry out our functions effectively, we need to cooperate and communicate with a number of organisations – including regulators, other official bodies, and other ombudsman schemes.

We have agreed memorandums of understanding with these organisations. They provide the operational framework for the relationship between us, including any arrangements for exchanging of information.