Finance Editor, Kael Tripton Ltd · LBS MBA · Verified against FCA Handbook: 14 June 2026
Quick answer
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is free for consumers and can award up to 430,000 pounds against FCA-authorised firms. You must complain to the firm first, wait up to 8 weeks for a Final Response Letter, then refer to the FOS within 6 months. The 6-month deadline from the Final Response Letter is strict -- missing it means the FOS cannot accept your case.
How to Complain to the Financial Ombudsman: Step-by-Step
Direct answer
How do I complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service?
Complain to the firm first and wait up to 8 weeks for a Final Response Letter. Then go to financial-ombudsman.org.uk and submit within 6 months of the Final Response Letter date. The service is free. The FOS can award up to 430,000 pounds and its decision is legally binding on the firm if you accept it.
Exhaust the firm's internal complaints process
Submit a formal written complaint to your insurer, bank or mortgage lender. Reference the specific FCA rule breached (ICOBS 8 for claims, Consumer Duty for fair value, MCOB for mortgage issues). Keep a copy.
Wait up to 8 weeks for the Final Response Letter
The firm has 8 weeks to issue a Final Response Letter. This document is required for FOS escalation. If the firm does not respond within 8 weeks, you can go to the FOS without one.
Refer to the FOS within 6 months
Go to financial-ombudsman.org.uk and submit online within 6 months of the date on the Final Response Letter. Missing this 6-month deadline means the FOS cannot accept your case -- no exceptions.
The FOS investigates and issues a provisional decision
A case handler reviews the complaint, requests information from both sides and issues a provisional decision. Both parties can comment. The full process typically takes 3 to 6 months.
Accept or reject the FOS decision
If you accept the final FOS decision, it becomes legally binding on the firm. The firm cannot appeal except on a point of law. If you reject it, you retain the right to go to court.
FOS Upheld Rates: Which Firms Lose Most Often?
The FCA publishes firm-level complaints data every six months showing what percentage of FOS cases were found in the consumer's favour. Unlike Trustpilot scores (which reflect general satisfaction), FOS upheld rates reflect the quality of the firm's actual decision-making when customers formally dispute a decision.
| FCA reporting entity | Period | FOS upheld rate |
|---|---|---|
| Lloyds Bank General Insurance | H2 2025 | 78.2% found in consumer favour |
| esure Insurance | H2 2025 | 70.2% found in consumer favour |
| Direct Line Group (UK Insurance) | H2 2025 | 67.4% found in consumer favour |
| Admiral Group (EUI Ltd) | H2 2025 | 63.9% found in consumer favour |
| Aviva Insurance | H2 2025 | 56.3% found in consumer favour |
| Hastings Insurance Services | H2 2025 | 52.0% found in consumer favour |
| Qmetric Group (Policy Expert) | H2 2025 | 36.8% found in consumer favour |
Source: FCA firm-level complaints data H2 2025, published May 2026. See full complaints data by insurer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum award the Financial Ombudsman can make?
From 1 April 2024, the Financial Ombudsman Service can award up to 430,000 pounds for complaints about acts or omissions by firms on or after 1 April 2019. For earlier acts, the limit is 375,000 pounds. For home insurance disputes, the FOS can award the full disputed claim amount, interest from the date payment should have been made, and distress and inconvenience compensation (typically 100 to 500 pounds but higher in serious cases). The award is legally binding on the firm if the consumer accepts it.
How long does the 6-month FOS deadline run from?
The 6-month deadline runs from the date on the firm's Final Response Letter, not from the date you receive it. Under DISP 2.8 of the FCA Handbook, you must refer the complaint to the FOS within 6 months of the Final Response Letter date. You must also complain within 6 years of the act you are complaining about, or 3 years from when you knew or should have known about it. Missing the 6-month deadline from the Final Response Letter is the most common reason the FOS rejects complaints as out of time.
Does the Financial Ombudsman Service cost anything?
No. The FOS is entirely free for consumers. There is no fee to submit a complaint, no minimum claim size and no deposit. The FOS is funded by a levy on FCA-authorised firms. In H2 2025, the FOS received approximately 47,300 new complaints across all financial products in Q3 alone. Home insurance is consistently one of the most common complaint categories handled by the FOS.
What is the FOS upheld rate for home insurance?
The FCA publishes firm-level upheld rates every six months. In H2 2025, Lloyds Bank General Insurance (Halifax and Lloyds Bank home insurance) had an upheld rate of 78.2% -- meaning 78 in every 100 complaints escalated to the FOS were found in the consumer's favour. Aviva Insurance had a 56.3% upheld rate. Policy Expert (Qmetric Group) had the lowest of the major insurers at 36.8%. A high upheld rate means the insurer's initial decisions are frequently wrong.
Can I use the FOS for a mortgage dispute?
Yes. The FOS handles disputes about mortgages regulated by the FCA under MCOB (Mortgages and Home Finance Conduct of Business sourcebook). This includes disputes about affordability assessments, charges, payment holidays and switching rights. The same process applies: complain to the lender first, wait up to 8 weeks for a Final Response Letter, then refer to the FOS within 6 months. The 430,000 pound award limit applies equally to mortgage disputes.
Primary sources (no secondary sources cited)
- FCA Handbook -- DISP Dispute Resolution (primary source)
- FOS -- How to Complain
- FOS -- Compensation We Can Award
- FCA Firm-Level Complaints Data H2 2025
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