SLCC Consumer Panel publishes data on who makes complaints

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission’s independent Consumer Panel has published data on who made complaints about lawyers and legal services in 2021-22.

The report is based on analysis of the anonymous demographic information which the SLCC collects from individual complainers. This includes data on complainers’ age, gender and ethnic group, as well as whether they have a disability.

Gillian Fyfe, Chair of the SLCC Consumer Panel said:

"The Panel has a keen interest in ensuring that everyone who uses legal services is aware of their right to complain about that service and has access to the SLCC’s complaints process.

“We want consumers across Scotland to know that if they are dissatisfied, they can make a complaint about a lawyer or the legal service they’ve received. The SLCC can help them to make their complaint and to receive redress where services fall below adequate standards.

“We are particularly concerned that certain groups may be less likely to make a complaint. Where this data demonstrates a gap, for example in the small numbers of complaints made by children and young people, or lower numbers of people than expected reporting a disability, we have suggested that the SLCC considers what action it can take to remove barriers and improve accessibility, and to reach out to those groups or communities.

“Panel members look forward to working with the SLCC to help ensure that anyone who might have a complaint to raise can access their services.”

The SLCC Consumer Panel is an independent advisory panel set up to assist the SLCC in understanding and taking account of the interests of consumers of legal services.