Customer service standards
If you write to us
We aim to respond to general letters and emails within 15 working days. You may not get a full reply within the above timescale, but you will know we have received your letter and who’s dealing with your query. You should always receive a full reply within 20 working days.
If you ring us
Your call will be answered by our switchboard operator, usually within one minute.
Our phone lines are open:
Mon, Tues, Thurs 9.00 am to 4.30 pm
Wed 9.00 am to 10.30 am and 11.30 am to 4.30 pm
Fri 9.00 am to 4.00 pm
The switchboard is closed on English bank holidays.
Respecting each other
We treat our users with respect and this is also how our staff expect to be treated.
How are we doing?
We will ask you for feedback from time to time on our services. We’ll gather the information and then see if our service can be improved.
If you think we have done a good job, we would like to hear from you.
Making mistakes
If we make a mistake, please tell us and we’ll try to put it right. We try not to make mistakes, but they do sometimes happen. If the mistake is more serious and you’re not happy after we have responded, you can make an official complaint. You must do this within three months of our response to you.
To make an official complaint, please write to our Complaints and Decision Review Manager outlining the problem you have had. We will try and reply to you within 15 working days. If we think it will take longer than this to give you a full reply, we will write and let you know.
If you’re unhappy with the decision made by the Complaints and Decision Review team, you can ask for a further review.
The first step is to appeal to the Senior Management Panel (SMP). If you’re unhappy with their reply you can appeal to the User Personal Case Committee (UPCC). This is a panel made up of members of the ILF board of trustees. This panel considers appeals and exceptional cases on a regular basis.
If you are still unhappy, the next step is to appeal to the Independent Case Examiner. They provide a free service to examine complaints from people who feel dissatisfied with the way they have been dealt with. Their details are:
The Independent Case Examiner
PO Box 155
Chester
CH99 9SA
Telephone: 0845 606 0777
www.ind-case-exam.org.uk
If you have tried to resolve your complaint, but you are still unhappy, your MP may be able to refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (Ombudsman for short). For more information contact:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 015 4033
www.ombudsman.co.uk