What can the Ombudsman do for me?
The Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces provides independent and impartial oversight of the Service Complaints system. The Ombudsman has the power to:
- Help Service personnel access the Service Complaints system
- Investigate
- Report to Parliament
Help Service personnel access the Service Complaints system
The Service Complaints system is an internal workplace grievance system for members of the UK Armed Forces. Personnel can make a Service Complaint if:
- They believe they were wronged in a matter relating to their Service life.
- The wrong happened while they were subject to Service law.
In most cases personnel will go to their Service Secretariat Central Admissibility Team (CAT) directly to make a Service Complaint.
If you would not like to approach the CAT, you can ask the Ombudsman to make a Referral. This will inform the CAT of your intention to make a Service Complaint.
No reason needs be given for going to the Ombudsman instead of the Service Secretariat Central Admissibility Team (CAT) in the first instance.
Investigate
The Ombudsman has the power to:
- Review decisions to not accept a complaint or appeal for investigation (Admissibility Decisions)
- Investigate allegations of Undue Delay.
- Investigate allegations of Maladministration in a Service Complaint that has been finally determined
- Investigate the Substance of a Service Complaint that has been finally determined.
The Ombudsman is not a second level of appeal and does not accept all Substance and Maladministration cases for investigation. The role of the Ombudsman is to consider whether the investigation of a Service Complaint was reasonable. That means whether the:
- Correct process was followed
- The decision reached was reasonable, fair, proportionate and justified based on the evidence available.
How can you access our services?
The Ombudsman has no powers of 'own motion' investigation, so you must make an application to us before we can help you.
If you are a current or former Service person, and would like the Ombudsman to help you, you must:
- Fill out an application form stating what you want the Ombudsman to do and why;
- Complete the consent section of the form to show that you agree to what we can do with the information provided; and
- Send the completed application form, and any other documents asked for in the form, to us by email or post.
Any new applications for an investigation into alleged Maladministration and/or the Substance of a Service Complaint will be assessed prior to being accepted. If your application is not accepted, because it is out of time or the Ombudsman is unable to make a material difference to the outcome, you will be informed of this and the reasons for that decision.
Report to Parliament
The Ombudsman oversees the Service Complaints process. This means they must report to the Secretary of State of Defence each year on:
- How the Service complaints system is operating,
- The work undertaken by the Ombudsman, and
- Any other issues the Ombudsman believes it is appropriate to report on.