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Jobs and Benefits office complaints

Jobs and Benefits offices are run by the Department for Communities. Find out how to complain about the service you’ve received or mistakes that have been made.

This page is only for benefit complaints. To appeal a benefits decision, visit Appeal against a benefits decision.

How to complain

Contact the office dealing with your case. The address and phone number will be on letters you’ve received.

When you complain by phone, you will be:

  • asked questions to confirm your identity
  • asked about benefits you are receiving or have claimed
  • asked to detail your complaint
  • advised by a member of staff what will happen next with your complaint or where to get more information if you want it

If you complain in writing, include:

  • your name and contact details
  • details of what happened and when
  • reference numbers and relevant information

If you’re unhappy with the response

If you’re not satisfied with the response, you can move to stage one of the complaints process.

Stage one

Raise your complaint directly with the office manager. The office dealing with your case will give you their name and address.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within two working days following receipt and answered within ten working days following receipt.

If your complaint can’t be answered within ten working days, the office manager will write to you to explain the delay and the expected date of reply.

Stage two

If you aren’t satisfied that the office manager has settled your complaint, you can write to the director. The reply you receive from the office manager will tell you who to contact.

You will need to outline why you are dissatisfied with the initial response. Your complaint will be acknowledged within two working days following receipt and answered within ten working days following receipt. If your complaint can’t be answered within ten working days, the director will write to you to explain the delay and the expected date of reply.

Independent review

If you have gone through stages one and two and are still not satisfied, and you want an independent review into your complaint, you can contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman or Independent Case Examiner.

  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Benefits and financial support

  • Appeal a benefits decision
  • Benefit fraud
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  • Jobs and Benefits office complaints
  • On a low income
  • Range of available benefits
  • Report benefit fraud online
  • Support if you're employed or looking for work
  • Unclaimed benefits? Make the call
  • Universal Credit
  • Welfare changes

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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