Complaints procedure

How to complain about the service you get from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our commitment

We’re committed to providing accessible and responsive services to businesses and the community.

We take all complaints we receive very seriously.

Types of complaint we can help with

If you have a complaint about the service provided by DSIT and our staff, please send us your complaint or comments.

If you have a complaint about a government policy we’re responsible for, you should write to the relevant minister or to your local MP.

If you have a complaint or comment about one of the agencies and public bodies we work with, please contact them directly. They will investigate your complaint under their own complaints procedures.

How to complain

You can make your complaint in writing to:

Complaints Manager

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, 22-26 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2EG

What we need from you

We need the full details of the issue and people you’re complaining about. This will help us respond to your concerns. We need to know:

  • the team and contact name (if you have one)
  • whether this is a new complaint or a follow-up to a previous reply
  • what happened
  • what you would like us to do to sort things out
  • your full postal address, phone number and email address (if you have one)

What happens next?

The Complaints Manager will pass your complaint to the relevant person in the department to respond.

We aim to answer all complaints within 20 working days. When we can’t do this we will explain why and give you a date by which you can expect a full reply.

If you’re not satisfied

Ask for a review

If you’re not satisfied you should contact us again asking for a review of the decision. This review will be undertaken by an independent senior official within the department.

Please explain clearly why you’re unhappy with the responses so far and what you would like us to do to sort things out.

This is the final stage of the internal complaints process.

Complain to the ombudsman

If you’ve gone through our complaints procedure and you’re still not satisfied, you can ask your local MP to refer it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

You can get more advice from the ombudsman’s office by contacting:

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Citygate
Mosley Street
Manchester
M2 3HQ
Telephone: 0345 015 4033 (open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5.00pm, Friday 8.30am to 12pm)

Email: [email protected]

Feedback on the complaints procedure

We improve our services by listening and responding to your views. We welcome any comments or suggestions on our complaints procedure, to make sure it works as efficiently and effectively as possible. Please send any feedback to the Complaints Manager.

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