Context
FOS has published its Q1 2025/26 complaints data showing a fall in case levels with, complaints at their lowest level for more than a year. FOS processed 68,000 complaints in the first three months of this financial year, with a 31% uphold rate. At the same time last year, April to June 2024, FOS received 74,600 new cases, and has seen lower levels of complaints about everyday financial products, such as current accounts, credit cards and motor insurance. The fall in case numbers has also been particularly significant across certain issues.
Key points to note and next actions
- Complaints about perceived irresponsible and unaffordable lending have halved; from 21,600 cases in the first three months of the previous financial year to 10,000 new cases in Q1 2025/26.
- Car and motorcycle insurance cases, although still in the top five most complained about products, have dropped from 3,900 in Q1 2024/25, to 3,200 in Q4 2024/25, to 2.800 in Q1 2025/26
- FOS recently introduced charges for professional representatives who bring more than ten complaints a year. Whilst this period shows 30,800 cases were brought by professional representatives, compared to 36,600 in the first quarter last year, it is likely that the next set of quarterly data will show even fewer complaints brought through this route.