We are committed to:

• treating everyone fairly and equally
• being respectful and polite
• getting things right the first time

If we do get something wrong, we will fix it as soon as we can.

What can you expect from us

Phone or webchat

When you contact us by phone or webchat, we will:

• reply as quickly as we can
• give you a clear answer to your question
• tell you when we will get back to you if we cannot answer straight away

Face-to-face services

If you speak to us in person, we will:

• always wear identification badges
• be polite, friendly and helpful
• see you within five minutes of your appointment time

Contact forms or emails

We aim to reply:

• within five working days for simple queries
• within ten working days for all other queries
• in clear, plain English without terms or jargon

If we cannot answer, we will explain why and tell you when to expect a full response. If a staff member is out of the office, you will receive an automatic reply with:

• their return date
• the contact details of someone else who can help

Website and online services

We aim to:

• keep information about our services up to date
• make our online services easy to find and use
• collect and use feedback about our webpages

If you report something online, we will:

• tell you that we have received it
• give clear timescales for a response
• explain what happens next

Facebook and Twitter

We will reply on Facebook and Twitter during office hours:

• Monday to Thursday: 8.30am to 5pm
• Friday: 8.30am to 4.30pm

If you need to complete a service request, we will send you the link to do it. We will not handle complaints on social media.

Writing to us

If you write to us, we will:

• reply within ten working days
• write in clear, plain English without terms or jargon
• explain if it is going to take longer and give a date for a full reply

Complaints

If you make a complaint, we will:

• acknowledge it within five working days
• send a full response within ten working days after acknowledging it
• write in clear, plain English without terms or jargon

Freedom of Information requests and rights requests under the Data Protection Act 2018

If you submit a request, we will:

• respond to Freedom of Information requests within 20 working days
• respond to Rights Requests within one month, except in exceptional circumstances
• tell you if we need more time, explain why it will take longer and give you a new date for a response
• explain if we cannot release the information and tell you how to complain