The Financial Ombudsman Service posted a 9.5% rise in complaints it received about financial products in the last six months of 2022. 

The statutory body formed in 2001 to settle disputes between firms and customers, received 79,921 new complaints between the start of July and the end of December, compared to the first half of last year. 

The average rate of complaints that it upheld on behalf of consumers across all products was 34%, compared to 37% in the first half of the year.  

Mortgage and home finance represented the third highest number of grievances, registering 4,160 complaints, 13.7% higher than the previous six months. 

The banking and credit and the general insurance/pure protection sectors drew the most dissatisfaction, attracting 50,346 complaints, up 14% and 19,346 complaints, up 10.4%, respectively. 

Over the period, public complaints covered 220 firms, compared to 212 companies over the previous six months.