The National Audit Office (NAO) is carrying out a study looking at the complaints handling process within the Department for Work and Pensions -

The scope of the study is limited to customer complaints on the level of service that a customer has received and includes the point when complaints are received by the Chief Executive (therefore it does not include the Independent Case Examiner or the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman). The study only includes: Disability and Carers Service, Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service.

We are particularly interested in finding out whether the complaints procedure is clear and accessible and whether the complaints information is used in order to improve customer service.

As a Welfare Rights Adviser we are particularly interested in your experiences of making complaints or assisting customers in making complaints. The complaint maybe a formal or informal complaint. We are interested in personal responses from welfare advisers, rather than overall organisational responses.

A short questionnaire can be downloaded below which we would be very grateful if you could complete and return to complaintstudy@nao.gsi.gov.uk or by post to -

Baljinder Virk
Researcher
National Audit Office
Green 1.4
151 Buckingham Palace Road
Victoria
London
SW1W 9SS

Please could you return questionnaires by Monday 14th April 2008. If you have any questions about the survey please e-mail me directly: baljinder.virk@nao.gsi.gov.uk

Your responses will be treated in confidence.

Many thanks

Dr Baljinder Virk,
Researcher