SDR - Annual Report - 2021

In 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic continued to disrupt the functioning of public services, accelerating a massive shift towards digitalisation of administrative procedures. The Ombudsman emphasises that, whilst digitalisation has become unavoidable, it is also leading to increasing exclusion for many service users: older people, those with visual or hearing impairments, people with disabilities, illiterate people, prisoners, and individuals who are unfamiliar with digital tools. The closure of service counters, the reduction in face-to-face services, the lack of response to telephone enquiries, and the requirement to use online platforms have exacerbated a worrying ‘digital divide’. The Ombudsman therefore stresses the need to maintain human contact and non-digital alternatives, which are essential to guaranteeing equitable access to fundamental rights.

The Ombudsman received 975 complaints in 2021, of which 499 were admissible, and his intervention led to a full or partial resolution in over 80 per cent of cases. The complaints mainly concerned social security benefits, housing, civil status, taxation, social security, immigration and education. The year was marked by recurring issues: administrative delays, a lack of clarity in decisions, unjustified refusals, unsuitable digital procedures and unequal treatment (notably regarding special leave for same-sex couples, the cost-of-living allowance and child benefit). The Ombudsman issued several recommendations to rectify these situations, whilst emphasising the importance for the administration to improve accessibility, transparency and compassion in the handling of cases.