Amerdeep Somal has now been confirmed as England’s new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Amerdeep will take up the post on 1 February 2024.

This appointment follows an open recruitment process and scrutiny by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee.

Amerdeep is also a Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. She brings a wealth of professional experience to the role having been the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner and the Chief Commissioner at the Data and Marketing Commission. She was a former founding Commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

On 1^st January 2024 Ms Somal took up her new role as the Board Chair of the Law Society of England and Wales, which will sit alongside her position as Ombudsman.

Amerdeep said:

“I am delighted to be taking on the hugely important role of Ombudsman, overseeing some of the most vital services provided to people across the country.

“The Ombudsman has a central role both in ensuring that individual complaints are investigated and as a key part of the wider system bringing about systemic change and improvement in local government and social care services. I look forward to taking up the role in February and to working to improve public services at a time of need for so many.”

Amerdeep takes on the role from Paul Najsarek, the interim Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, who remains in post as Ombudsman and Chair of the Commission for Local Administration in England (the board that runs the LGSCO) until 31^st January 2024.

Article date: 18 January 2024