Delay is not one legal category. It may breach a statutory deadline, a published service standard, a complaint code, a duty to decide within a reasonable time, or none of those precisely. The practical response is to identify the source of the expected timescale, the effect of the delay and the route with power to require progress or provide a remedy.
Key points
- Ask whether the deadline is statutory, contractual, policy-based or only an estimate.
- Require a current position, reasons for delay, outstanding steps and a specific decision date.
- Record the practical injustice caused by delay rather than relying on delay alone.
- Protect appeal and court routes. Waiting for a complaint response may not be safe.
Classify the delay
Find the source of the expected timescale
| Type | Example | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory deadline | An information-rights response or prescribed review period | Cite the provision and calculate the exact expiry date |
| Published complaint time | A council complaint policy or complaint-handling code | Ask for reasons and a revised final-response date |
| Service standard | A target for processing applications or reports | Use as evidence of expected administration, while checking exceptions |
| Reasonable-time duty | No fixed period but a decision cannot be left indefinitely | Record urgency, complexity, inactivity and consequences |
Escalate clearly
Ask four questions that require an answer
- What work has been completed?
- What exact step remains outstanding?
- Why has the stated or statutory timescale not been met?
- On what date will the decision or final response be issued?
Impact
Connect delay to a real consequence
Record lost payments, continued unsuitable accommodation, worsening health, missed opportunities, repeated time spent chasing, additional expense and any loss of an appeal opportunity. A chronology should distinguish periods of active investigation from unexplained inactivity.
Escalation
Use the route that can deal with the delayed function
A complaint may address poor administration. An ombudsman may consider delay and resulting injustice after the local route. A statutory appeal may be available against failure to decide in some schemes. In urgent public-law cases, specialist advice may be needed about judicial review or interim relief. The correct route depends on the function and the remedy needed.
Evidence
Create a delay schedule
| Date | Expected event | What happened | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use the actual date | Decision, acknowledgement, review or response due | Response, holding reply or no action | Financial, practical or procedural effect |
Official sources
Check the current rules behind this guide
- LGSCO Complaint Handling Code
Official expectations for council complaint handling and delay. - PSO Principles of Good Administration
Official principles relevant to timely and effective public administration. - Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review
Official court protocol where unlawful failure to act may require urgent legal consideration.
These are official or primary sources. Local policies, statutory guidance, legislation and deadlines can change. Check the live source and the decision notice before acting.