Complaints Policy

Our Commitment to You

We want the CEA Card Scheme to be easy to use, fair, and supportive. If something goes wrong, we want to hear from you so we can put it right.

  • We will always listen to your concerns.
  • We will treat you with respect.
  • Where possible, we will try to resolve your concerns quickly.
  • We will learn from complaints to make our service better for everyone.
  • We aim to keep this process simple, fair, and accessible for all.

What is a Complaint?

A complaint is when you tell us you are unhappy with the service we have provided and it cannot be resolved straight away.

You might complain if:

  • A mistake was made with your card or application.
  • There was a delay that caused you problems.
  • You feel you were treated unfairly or without respect.

Who Can Complain?

Anyone who has applied (or is applying) for a CEA Card, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else, or who is affected by a decision we have made, can make a complaint.

How to Make a Complaint

You can contact us by:

Please tell us:

  • Your CEA Card number or application reference (if you have one).
  • Your name (and the cardholder's name if this is different) and how we should contact you.
  • What happened, when it happened, and how it affected you.
  • What you think we can do to put it right.

If you need support to make a complaint, you can ask someone to help you or contact us for assistance.

If you agree, we may contact you to discuss your complaint.

What Happens Next

  1. Acknowledgement
    • We will confirm we have received your complaint within 2 working days.
    • We will give you a reference number.
  2. Review
    • We will see if your complaint can be resolved quickly.
    • If it can, we will contact you with a solution.
  3. Investigation
    • If your complaint cannot be resolved quickly, a senior manager will review your complaint.
    • They will look at the information and if you agree, may contact you to discuss it.
  4. Decision
    • If we can both agree on a solution, this will be implemented and the matter will be closed.
    • If not, the senior manager will send you a written decision.
    • You will have 14 days to reply with any final comments before we decide on any action.
  5. Escalation
    • If you feel the matter is still not resolved, you can request that the complaint be passed to our Escalation Team for a final decision.

Timeframes

  • We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days.
  • We will aim to give you a full response within 20 working days.
  • If it takes longer, we will explain why and give you an update.

Learning from Complaints

Every complaint is logged and reviewed. We use them to improve our service, communication, and systems so that the CEA Card works better for everyone.