OLC says record complaint levels are driving the need for long-term service transformation
The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) has published its 2025/26 Annual Report and Accounts, revealing a sharp rise in demand for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) service during the year ending 31 March 2026. The report outlines how the organisation responded to growing pressures while continuing to deliver complaint resolution services across England and Wales.
According to the report, the Legal Ombudsman received more than 14,000 new complaints during the 2025/26 financial year, representing a 37% increase compared to the previous year. Despite sustained growth in demand, the service resolved 8,199 complaints and remained within the performance ranges outlined in its published business plan.
The OLC said that more than half of all complaints were settled through its early resolution process, enabling consumers to reach fair outcomes more quickly. During the year, the organisation also developed and piloted a Model Complaints Resolution Procedure in collaboration with legal service providers, regulators and consumer organisations to encourage better complaints handling before disputes escalate.
The report highlights additional work to share learning across the legal sector through public interest decisions, case studies, Spotlight articles and targeted support for organisations generating high volumes of complaints. It also notes continued investment in staff development, wellbeing and engagement, alongside operational improvements including revised onboarding processes and the introduction of digital and AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency.
OLC Chair Ric Blakeway said the report demonstrates that the Legal Ombudsman continued to deliver for customers despite unprecedented demand while strengthening its wider contribution to improving standards across the legal sector. He said complaints should be viewed as an opportunity to improve service quality, accountability and public confidence rather than simply problems to resolve. Blakeway also stated that the current level of demand makes organisational transformation essential, adding that the long-term sustainability of the service depends on becoming more agile and digitally enabled.
Chief Ombudsman Phil Cain said that more than 14,000 people sought help from the service during the reporting year, describing the increase as evidence of unprecedented demand. He credited colleagues for continuing to provide fair and independent outcomes while improving operational processes. Cain added that although innovation, digital technology and process improvements have increased efficiency, they are not sufficient on their own to deliver the scale of change required to reduce waiting times and enhance the customer experience. He said the organisation has begun delivering its Vision 2030 programme, which aims to build a more agile and digitally enabled service while using insight from complaints to help prevent future problems across the legal sector.