Independent Case Examiner
If you feel that The Pension Service has not dealt with your complaint properly when you receive a response, you can write to the Independent Case Examiner.
The Independent Case Examiner looks into complaints about The Pension Service from people who are not happy with how The Pension Service has handled their case. The Independent Case Examiner is independent of The Pension Service and there is no charge for using its services.
Before the Independent Case Examiner will accept your case, they must be satisfied that The Pension Service has had the opportunity to deal with your complaint. They will look into your complaint as long as you contact them within six months of receiving a final reply from the Chief Executive.
The Independent Case Examiner will examine a case if:
they are satisfied that you have received a final response to your complaint from our Chief Executive.
The Independent Case Examiner cannot look at a complaint if:
- The Pension Service has not been given the opportunity to resolve the case first
- it is more than six months since The Pension Service’s final response
- the complaint is about legislation
- the specific complaint has been, or is being, investigated by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
- the complaint is the subject of legal proceedings, such as judicial review.
You can find out more about the Independent Case Examiner from the leaflet The Independent Case Examiner's Office - our service and standards or on The Independent Case Examiner website