Over Half of Complaints to the Home Office Upheld Last Year

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman upheld more than half (60 per cent) of the public complaints about the Home Office which it investigated last year.

It completed its investigations into 163 complaints against the Home Office this year, over double the figure from last year.

The primary issue that people complained about related to delays in processing applications and the manner in which the Home Office made decisions.

One of the case studies in the report detailed how the Home Office had to apologise to a woman who was given incorrect advice about her immigration status, resulting in her losing her job, being told she had to leave the UK and being detained and having her bags searched on return from holiday abroad. The Home Office eventually paid out £2,000 to cover the distress she suffered and the fees she incurred during the case.

Many people feel aggrieved by the delays taken by the Home Office in making decisions on their claims and the manner in which they are dealt with.

Litigation can be a very expensive and lengthy procedure for redresss.

Making a complaint to the Ombudsman through your Member of Parliament (MP) can be a very useful way of addressing your problem and securing some form of redress.

It is something that I have previously recommended. 

You can find out how to make a complaint to the Ombudsman here.

The full Ombudsman’s report can be read here.

Visadreams.com,  Diary of an Immigration Lawyer, is a blog run by Fahad Ansari, the director and principal solicitor of Riverway Law, a niche UK immigration and nationality law practice based in London.  If you would like any advice or assistance in relation to your immigration matter, please do not hesitate to email me at fahad@riverwaylaw.com or submit your details here.