‘Buy now, pay later’ users will soon be able to bring complaints to the Financial Ombudsman
8 July 2026
From 15 July, consumers can bring eligible complaints to us about BNPL agreements if they can't resolve things with their provider.
Financial Ombudsman Service appoints permanent Chief Executive Officer and Chief Ombudsman
- Jenny Simmonds and James Dipple-Johnstone permanently appointed to leadership roles.
- They will lead the service as it continues to deliver a series of improvements and reforms to transform the way it operates.
- Recruitment for a permanent Chair will begin shortly. This appointment is made by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The Financial Ombudsman Service Board has appointed Jenny Simmonds as permanent Chief Executive Officer and James Dipple-Johnstone as permanent Chief Ombudsman.
Their appointments follow an open recruitment process led by the Board earlier this summer.
Jenny and James initially took up their roles on an interim basis in February 2025. They have led the service through a significant period of change, working together with the Government and the FCA to develop and deliver a series of reforms to the UK’s redress system.
The service has focused on delivering for its customers against a backdrop of uncertainty and changing complaint volumes, reducing the time taken for complaints to be resolved and cutting down the number of complaints which have been with it the longest.
A series of digital improvements have been delivered, with online portals for businesses and consumers rolled out and an enhanced online complaint form streamlining and simplifying the complaint journey.
Under Jenny and James’s leadership, the service introduced charges for professional representatives to refer cases and revised the default interest rate applied to some of the awards it makes to strike a better balance between simplicity, fairness and proportionality. The service has also consulted on proposals to modernise its case fee structure for businesses to better reflect the work undertaken on complaints.
Jenny and James have provided strong leadership during a period of significant change, delivering improvements to operations and timeliness and driving forward proposals to transform the organisation.
I am pleased that they will continue to build on this work as they lead the service on a permanent basis, providing stable leadership and clear direction for our dedicated colleagues as the Financial Ombudsman Service continues to evolve
Liam Coleman, Interim Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service Board
It’s an honour to lead this organisation and I’m proud of everything we have achieved together over the past year. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues to improve our service for customers.
Jenny Simmonds, Chief Executive
We deliver a vital service and it’s a privilege to be appointed as Chief Ombudsman. The commitment of our colleagues across the organisation gives me great confidence as we continue modernising our service and strengthening the impact we have for consumers and businesses.
James Dipple-Johnstone, Chief Ombudsman
The recruitment for a permanent Chair for the Financial Ombudsman Service is expected to commence shortly. This appointment is made by the FCA, with HM Treasury approval. Liam Coleman will remain in the interim post until this process has completed.
Please contact the Financial Ombudsman Service media team for more information.
About the Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service was set up by Parliament to resolve individual complaints between financial businesses and their customers on a fair and reasonable basis, as a free alternative to the courts. It can look into problems involving most types of money matters. It is committed to sharing insight and experience to encourage fairness and confidence in financial services.
Consumers and businesses can use the Financial Ombudsman Service's secure portals to track and manage their cases.
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