The Financial Ombudsman Service is free and can bind firms to awards of up to £455,000 (£205,000 for pre-April 2019 acts) — yet the limits, the six-month time rule and the difference between a view and a binding final decision are routinely misunderstood. What the 2026 rules actually say, and how ombudsman redress compares with suing.
The Horizon scandal reveals systemic failures and slow compensation, demanding legal reforms to restore public trust.
