Comments and complaints procedure

We would like you to find your visit to The National Archives building and website productive and enjoyable. We are committed to providing you with the highest possible standard of service in our power. If things go wrong we would like to help you straight away, so please tell us when a problem arises.

Our Takedown policy sets out the circumstances in which The National Archives will remove material from its websites.

We publish a selection of the comments, compliments and complaints we receive.

How to make a comment or complaint

If you wish to comment or complain about any of our services, please speak to a member of staff who will try to sort things out for you directly, or will put you in touch with someone who can help.

Alternatively, you can complete our Your views form or email us at yourviews@nationalarchives.gov.uk, or you can telephone our Quality Manager on +44 (0) 20 8392 5363.

You can also write to our Quality Manager at:

Quality Manager
The National Archives
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU

The policy below provides full details on how we handle comments and complaints.

Policy for handling comments and complaints (PDF, 0.06 MB)

External review

If you are still dissatisfied having followed all the stages of the internal complaints system, you may apply to our independent complaints reviewer, ch&i associates. The complaints review service is entirely independent of The National Archives and will ensure fairness and impartiality in the investigation of your complaint.

Please note that ch&i associates cannot review cases involving FOI and Data Protection Act requests.

Mr Jon Wigmore
ch&i associates
64 Plumstead Road
Norwich
NR1 4JU

Telephone number: +44 (0)3301331492
Email: enquiries@chi-assoc.com

If your complaint is about a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and you are still dissatisfied having followed all the stages of the internal complaints system, you should contact:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliff House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone number: +44 (0)1625 545745
informationcommissioner.org.uk

Review by the Ombudsman

Should you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the ICR’s review you can ask your Member of Parliament to put your complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman who is an officer of the House of Commons. The Ombudsman is wholly independent of the government.

Further information on this service can be obtained from:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Telephone number: +44 (0) 84 5015 4033
Fax number: +44 (0) 20 7217 4000
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
ombudsman.org.uk

The provision of an independent complaints review process does not affect your right to seek to have your complaint reviewed by the Ombudsman at any time.

Complaints arising under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015

For information and procedures relating to the investigation of these types of complaint, please see our information management pages.

Under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, since 18 July 2015 complaints about re-use are the responsibility of the Information Commissioner’s Office. A complaint can be referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office from those still dissatisfied after exhausting our complaints process.

The Gazette

The Gazette is managed by The National Archives under a concessionary contract with The Stationery Office Limited (TSO). If you wish to complain about a Gazette-related issue, in the first instance you need to refer to The Gazette Customer Charter. This sets out a four-stage complaints procedure, which you will be guided through as necessary.

If you have exhausted this four-stage process, there are two options available to you:

  • If your outstanding concerns relate to information rights, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
  • If you feel that your complaint has not been handled in accordance with The Gazette Customer Charter, you can contact The National Archives, who will review TSO’s handling of your complaint

Further information

The National Archives is a non-ministerial government department. Our parent department is the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The Chief Executive and Keeper is:

Jeff James
The National Archives
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU

The Minister responsible for The National Archives is:

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts and Heritage
100 Parliament Street
London SW1A 2BQ

Cymraeg (Welsh language version)

Y drefn gwyno (PDF, 0.44 MB)