Pre-Complaint Handling At Enquiry Centres (AG)


To deal with complaints that are received by Enquiry Centres, consider steps 1 to 6 below. The guide is presented as follows

Initial actionSteps 1 - 3
Line manager's actionStep 4
Further escalationStep 5
Claimant or their representative wants to take the query furtherStep 6

click here to return to top  Initial action

1

If a claimant or their representative comes to an Enquiry Centre to query their tax credits

  • Verify that you are speaking to the claimant or their representative. Follow the guidance in Confirm Identity

Note: You must read through any existing Household Notes or Application Notes to help you confirm this

  • Does the claimant or their representative have the required authority for you to be able to pass information on to them

  • Yes, go to step 2
     

  • No

  • Give them leaflet C/FS ‘Complaints and putting things right’
     

  • Tell them that in line with the Data Protection Act you are unable to deal with their enquiry any further
     

  • Take no further action
2

Ask the claimant or their representative what they are unhappy about (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Then

  • Go to step 3
3

Following your conversation and action to resolve the query, what further action does the claimant or their representative want to take

  • If they are now satisfied and do not want to continue with their query, take no further action
     

  • If they are not satisfied and want to take their query further, go to step 4


click here to return to top  Line manager’s action

4

Line managers must make a further attempt to resolve the query

  • Are you able to resolve the query to the claimant’s satisfaction

  • Yes, take no further action
     

  • No(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)


click here to return to top Further escalation

5(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)


click here to return to top Claimant or their representative wants to take the query further  

6

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Give the claimant or their representative leaflet C/FS ‘Complaints and putting things right’ and

  • Ask them if they would like you to send details of their complaint to the Tax Credit Office

  • If they do not, tell them that the guidance about what action to take is listed on the C/FS leaflet. Take no further action
     

  • If they do, make a full record of your conversation (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Notes:

  1. (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

  2. The TCO will send an acknowledgement letter to the claimant or their representative that will contain the name and direct dial contact details of an individual on the CSU Team who has been allocated the complaint. The letter will also state in what timescale the TCO aims to deal with the complaint
     

  3. The responsibility for the investigation is with the Tax Credit Office’s CSU. A complaint should only be retained by the Enquiry Centre if the complaint relates to the behaviour of staff in the Enquiry Centre

 

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