PTSD UK is keen to address any issues, concerns or complaints you may have. Please don’t hesitate to raise these directly with us, so we can action appropriate responses and resolutions.

Gathering feedback of all kinds is part of our continuous development as a leading UK charity. It helps us to evaluate and improve our service quality.

Also, we investigate complaints thoroughly so we can take any remedial action needed as quickly as possible. This also gives us the potential to find robust ways to prevent similar issues in the future.

How to complain to us

We provide a choice of ways to raise complaints, and each one is treated with equal attention and merit.

You can send written complaints to us by email using our contact form here. 

If you prefer to send a letter by traditional mail, the address is: PTSD UK, 83 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2ER

What to include in your communication

It’s important that you provide us with your name, address, telephone number and email in letters and emails.

This information will only be used to address your complaint thoroughly, and it will remain private and safe.

When explaining the nature of your complaint, add as much detail as possible including any relevant dates. This helps us to respond appropriately, and as quickly as possible.

Timescale for complaints responses

As we are a charity with limited administrative resources, we can’t guarantee an instant response.

However, our complaints policy is to:

• Acknowledge written complaints within ten working days.
• Provide a comprehensive report within four weeks. If more time is needed for this, we will keep you informed.

How complaints are dealt with

As we take complaints seriously, we will need sufficient time for a team member to assess the matter and respond appropriately.

If you have views on the best way to resolve the issue, we would welcome your input. You can include suggestions and requests in your initial complaint letter if you wish.

Please be assured, we will seek a satisfactory outcome on your behalf. In complex or serious cases, we will escalate complaints to our Trustees.

You will be kept informed, and any sharing of information will be discussed with you as part of our strict privacy and data protection policies.

Complaints we can’t respond to

Occasionally, we receive complaints about matters not directly related to the work, staff or marketing of PTSD UK.

We aim to show empathy when someone takes the time to contact us. So, we usually respond by acknowledging this communication and explaining that it’s outside our remit.

However, if the matter is not related to this charity, we can neither enter into lengthy discussions nor suggest ways to address your complaint.

Occasions when we may not respond include:

• Complaints totally unrelated to our work, staff or marketing.
• Correspondence that unreasonably continues to air an issue that has already received a definitive response. (We may address new views or information but will not acknowledge a repetition of the initial detail.)
• Complaints deemed to be excessively abusive, prejudice or offensive, or ones that constitute harassment of a member of our team.
• Incoherent or illegible correspondence, or complaints lacking basic information.
• Correspondence that appears to have been mailed to multiple places with the same complaint. (We may reply if we accept a degree of relevance.)

Please note, anonymous complaints will be reviewed, and any relevant internal improvements will be considered. However, we prefer to communicate directly with the person who originated the matter.

Escalating unresolved complaints

Our Supporter Care Team is here to respond to questions, concerns and complaints. They handle these with discretion, finding ways to resolve issues in a transparent and satisfactory manner.

If you are unhappy with the way your complaint is handled, you have the option to write directly to the charity’s Trustees at: PTSD UK, 83 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2ER

If your complaint relates to fundraising, we will address it using the policies and procedures outlined above. However, if you feel a complaint of this nature is not adequately resolved, you can contact the Fundraising Regulator. Request for an investigation needs to be made within two months of receiving our response. There can be done via an online form (www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk), by ringing 0300 999 3407, or by writing to: Fundraising Regulator, 2nd Floor, CAN Mezzanine, 49-51 East Road, London, N1 6AH

If your complaint relates to some other aspect of our work, and you don’t feel our response was appropriate or adequate, you can contact:

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), via their website (https://www.oscr.org.uk/contact-oscr), by ringing 01382 220446 or by email to info@oscr.org.uk.

Our complaints pledge

Your communication will be handled with the respect and attention it deserves.

Complaints will be assessed to find ways we can improve our charitable endeavours and we will always offer an apology if our activities fell short of our normal quality standards.

Thank you for raising complaints directly with us and for giving us the opportunity to respond in a timely and appropriate way.