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    1. Home
    2. Government, citizens and rights
    3. Government

    Making a complaint against government or public bodies

    If you think you’ve been unfairly treated by a government department, organisation or public body you can complain. It is important to contact the body first to deal with your complaint, but if you think it hasn’t been dealt with properly you can contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

    Government organisations and public bodies

    If you have a complaint about a government organisation or public body you should always contact the organisation or body first to make your complaint. They will have a procedure in place to investigate your complaint and do everything they can to resolve it. 

    If you wish to raise a concern about something going wrong within government, you should contact the relevant department:

    • Raising concerns

    If, following the organisation’s investigation, you don’t feel the complaint has been settled to your satisfaction you can contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

    Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman

    The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman investigates unresolved complaints about public bodies in Northern Ireland.

    • The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman

    Making a complaint to the Ombudsman

    Find out how to make a complaint to the Ombudsman on its website:

    • How to make a complaint

    The European Ombudsman

    The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union.

    If you are a citizen of a Member State of the Union or live in a Member State, you can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman.

    Businesses, associations or other bodies with a registered office in the Union may also complain to the Ombudsman.

    • European Ombudsman

    Complaints about the police

    The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has an independent impartial police complaints system for the people and the police of Northern Ireland.

    • Complaints against the police

    The Prisoner Ombudsman

    The Prisoner Ombudsman is appointed by the Minister of Justice for Northern Ireland and is independent of the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS).

    The Prisoner Ombudsman investigates complaints from prisoners held in Northern Ireland who are unhappy with how their complaint has been responded to by the Prison Service.

    • Make a complaint to prison service
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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 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.

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