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<p>Information is available via Gov.uk regarding the Department’s complaints procedure
and what steps people can take if at any stage they disagree with the response they
have received from the Department.</p><p>If after following the Department’s complaints
procedure a claimant remains unsatisfied with the Departments final response, they
can ask the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) to review the Departments handling of
the complaint.</p><p>If the claimant is unhappy with the response they receive from
ICE we would then advise the claimant to contact their Member of Parliament (MP) to
request the complaint is sent to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for
further review.</p><p>In addition, the Department will respond to all complaints regarding
current Policy/Legislation providing a full explanation of the Policy and how it is
applied. However, if the claimant disagrees with the actual Policy/Legislation rather
than its application they may be advised to contact their local MP to raise their
concerns.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure</a></p><p>Prior
to the roll-out of Universal Credit Full Service in their constituency, both Ministers
and Service Leaders (formally District managers) wrote to each Hon. Member. The letter
explained the implicit consent arrangements for MPs and also provided the telephone
number and email address of the Service Leader in the constituency, so that MPs can
contact Service Leaders if there are urgent constituent cases that need attention.
This is the best route to raise issues on behalf of constituents and works well because
MPs’ offices can establish local relationships.</p><p>We have recently written to
hon. Members to confirm named contacts and local telephone numbers to allow local
constituency related Universal Credit cases to be raised directly. The letters also
extend an invitation for MPs to visit their local Jobcentre to see the work they are
doing.</p>
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