the Financial Ombudsman Service and disabled consumers
Latest consumer research shows that 22% of consumers whose disputes are settled by the ombudsman service describe themselves as being disabled – most commonly involving mobility difficulties.
Many of our disabled customers do not ask for – or require – any adjustment in the way we communicate with them or deal with their case. But the ombudsman service is committed to making its service as accessible as possible – and we aim to meet the particular communication needs of all our customers.
So if you do need information about our service in a different format or language, just let us know and we'll do our best to help.
The ombudsman takes part in a wide range of work aimed at raising awareness of the service – both with disabled consumers and with "trusted individuals" in the community who consumers turn to for information and advice.
our work with specialist media
We work with a range of specialist media partners who help to highlight the ombudsman's role in settling financial disputes. This work includes:
- regular features in Able – the disability lifestyle-magazine:
- regular coverage in Disability – the magazine for disabled people and healthcare professionals:
- coverage in RADAR's publications:
- If only I'd known that a year ago – containing practical advice and information for people who have become recently disabled
- New Bulletin – distributed to a wide network of charities and front-line organisations providing support and advice to disabled people
- coverage on Disability Now's website and in Renew, the flagship magazine of Rehab (the charity for people with brain injuries)
- coverage in The Parkinson, the Parkinson's Disease Society's quarterly magazine, and in the society's on-line information sheets
our work with advisers and "trusted individuals"
Our outreach work with disabled people has included:
- taking part in NAIDEX, which gives us the opportunity to meet face-to-face with people to raise awareness of the ombudsman service and to gain insight into the problems that disabled people might encounter with financial businesses
- consultation with the Shaw Trust – the national charity supporting disabled and disadvantaged people in living more independently – on the development of our website, to ensure its accessibility for disabled users, and on the readability of our consumer leaflet
- consultation with local groups on how we approach disability issues (for example, our use of "easyread" and accessible text)
- consultation with RADAR, MIND and equality and diversity practitioners on the impact publishing ombudsman's decisions might have on disabled consumers
- organising and hosting a different needs awareness event for ombudsman staff – with five of the leading disability charities (Scope, RNID, Help the Aged, the British Dyslexic Association and the National Autistic Society)
- working with RADAR, the disability network, and other "trusted individuals" who work with disabled people – providing them with information on the ombudsman service and its role.
