Public Services Ombudsman for Wales sees sharpest increase in complaints in its 20-year history

The numbers come from the Ombudsman’s Annual Report 2025-26, which revealed that complaints about local authorities soared by 27% to 1,704.

The report said that, in relation to local authorities, the Ombudsman has seen a consistent increase over the last three years in the numbers of complaints across a range of subjects – from housing and social services to environment and environmental health, planning and education.

The Ombudsman meanwhile received 324 duly made Code of Conduct complaints, marking a rise of 3% from last year.

Town and community council complaints remain the largest group of Code of Conduct complaints, although the proportion decreased marginally to 58% (from 60% last year).

The Ombudsman markedly increased the proportion of Code of Conduct complaints it investigated (24%) compared to the previous year, but also revealed that it had made “significant progress” in reducing its investigation time and resolving a number of aged cases.

Complaints about housing associations rose significantly, up 25% to 513 complaints over the past year.  “We continue to see increases in complaints about repairs and maintenance and damp and mould,” the Ombudsman observed.

Finally, complaints about Welsh health boards rose the fastest of all, by 42% to 1,351. The most common area of these complaints is clinical treatment in hospital, and the Ombudsman noted that the proportion of these complaints has seen an increase every year between 2023-24 and 2025-26.

Michelle Morris, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, said: “This is the clearest signal yet that pressure on public services continues to be felt by people across Wales. We are now receiving three times as many complaints as the office did 20 years ago, and this year’s increase is the sharpest we have seen. Behind every number is someone who has felt let down and is looking for answers, fairness and improvement."

She added: “As we look ahead, our priority is to make sure that our findings on casework continue to lead to stronger accountability, better complaint handling at a local level and real improvement for the people of Wales.

“The volume of complaints is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity: every upheld complaint, every early resolution and every recommendation can help prevent the same injustice happening again.”

The Annual Report 2025-26 said the Ombudsman had continued to develop its improvement work across Wales.

All relevant local authorities, health boards and 21 housing associations were operating under its model complaints policy by the end of March 2026 and, as of 23 September, all housing associations were compliant with the model policy.

The Ombudsman closed 20 ‘own initiative’ investigations, where it examines an issue without having received a complaint, during the 12 months.

A further four investigations are in progress, considering potential health care failings and social landlords’ complaints handling regarding disrepair and damp and mould.

The Annual Report 2025-26 suggested that awareness of the Ombudsman is now at its highest level, with 52% of the Welsh public aware of the service.

Harry Rodd