Inclusive service policy statement

The Legal Ombudsman provides an independent and impartial service to its customers which is underpinned by a commitment to promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. This commitment extends to the inclusive nature of our service across our remit.

We want to be recognised as a fair and flexible service that is informed by its customer service principles, does not discriminate and can be accessed and used by all of our customers equally. This includes addressing the needs of customers by identifying and working towards eliminating barriers and ensuring that our service is designed to meet the needs of all customers, including those whose circumstances make them more vulnerable.

In addition to this, we will of course continue to follow the broad purpose of the Public Sector Equality Duty to support delivery of an inclusive service. This covers the nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires equality considerations to be reflected in the design of policies and the delivery of services, including internal policies, and for these issues to be kept under review.

We aim to meet the needs of all of our customers by following the guiding principles for an inclusive service as set out in the British Standard for Inclusive Service Provision (BS 18477: 2010) and by:

• creating a work culture that values diversity, inclusiveness and respect,
• empowering our employees to reflect those values in their dealings with the customers who use our service and all other stakeholders;
• promoting equal access to the Legal Ombudsman Service for all customers and potential customers;
• providing clear, meaningful information about what we do and how we do it to our customers and potential customers, in ways that best suit their individual needs;
• identifying any individual requirements as early as possible in order for a customer to fully access our service; and
• being open and responsive to changing needs and requirements.

We will raise awareness of our service and build confidence in our customer base in relation to our accessibility and complaint handling.