Website of the Department of Health
Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.
Page menu
You are here:
Social services complaints procedure
Arrangements for complaints handling in adult social care services are covered in the Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints Regulations 2009, which come into force on 1 April 2009.
How to complain
If you are not satisfied with the adult social care service provided or funded by your local authority. You should contact your local authority to try and resolve the matter.
You can also help services improve if you tell your authority when you are happy or have an idea to improve a service.
Taking your complaint further
If you are not happy with the response you receive from the local authority to a complaint, you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman to review your case.
Legislation
Information on the NHS and adult social care complaints regulations, which have been revised with effect from 1 April 2009, following the White Paper commitment to develop a single comprehensive complaints procedure across health and social care by 2009.
Historical legislation and guidance on social services complaints
- Learning from complaints: guidance issued 4 August 2006
- The Local Authority Social Services Complaints (England) Regulations 2006 (opens new window)
- Download in Portable Document Format the explanatory memorandum to the Local Authority Social Services Complaints (England) Regulations 2006: 2006 No.1681 (opens new window)
Access keys
