Make a formal complaint about the nidirect website

nidirect is committed to providing you with the highest levels of customer service and takes all complaints seriously. If you want to make a formal complaint about the website, nidirect will carry out a full and fair investigation of your complaint, respecting your right to confidentiality.

What a formal complaint is

A complaint is when you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service you receive from the nidirect website, and you wish to raise this formally.

What a formal complaint is not

A formal complaint is not for suggesting improvements to the nidirect website, such as:

reporting a problem
leaving feedback
asking a question

For these you should use the blue ‘Help improve this page – send your feedback’ banner at the bottom of this page.

How to make a formal complaint

Stage one

You should give details of your complaint in writing to nidirect's Head of Central Editorial Team either by:

email: nidirectwebsitecomplaint@finance-ni.gov.uk

Post:

Head of nidirect Central Editorial Team
Digital Engagement and Communications
Digital Security and Finance Shared Services
Craigantlet Buildings,
Stormont Estate
Belfast,
BT4 3SX

The Head of the Central Editorial Team will acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receipt.

An investigation will be carried out, and the aim is for a full response to be issued within 10 working days of the complaint being received.

If the investigation is taking longer than this then you will be kept informed of progress and when you can expect a full reply.

Stage two

If you feel the complaint still has not been resolved, the final internal escalation point is the Digital Security and Engagement Director. The Director can be contacted at the addresses given below:

email: nidirect.accountmanagement@finance-ni.gov.uk

Post:

Director of Digital Security and Engagement,
Digital Security and Finance Shared Services,
Craigantlet Buildings
Stormont Estate
Belfast
BT4 3SX

The Director of Digital Security and Engagement will arrange to have the matter investigated and will aim to send you a full response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint.

If the investigation is taking longer than this then you will be kept informed of progress and when you can expect a full reply.

Stage three

The final escalation point for all complaints is the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

The ombudsman deals with complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice because of poor administration - or the wrong applications of rules by government departments and public bodies.

The ombudsman is the ‘last resort’, normally only investigating cases when the complainant has already exhausted the formal complaints procedure of the organisation concerned.

All complaints made to the ombudsman are treated in the strictest confidence.

You can find out how to complain to the ombudsman at this link:

• How to complain - Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman website

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?

report a problem

leave feedback

ask a question

Report a problem

Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

A link, button or video is not working

There is a spelling mistake

Information is missing, outdated or wrong

I can't find what I'm looking for

Another issue

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

Tell us more about the problem you're having with the nidirect website.

Enter your feedback

What is your question about?

Choose a topic for your question:

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.

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 your GRONI account, 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.

Extra comments (optional)

Translation help

Select a language