The Get SAFE Fellowship

When a complaint is rejected, most people think the journey is over. It isn’t.

If you believe the Financial Ombudsman Service didn’t properly test evidence or leaned too heavily on a firm’s narrative, the key is not arguing louder — it’s escalating smarter.

We’ve just published a practical guide showing the 6 structured steps that can restore leverage, credibility, and accountability after an unfair outcome.

Because the real turning point comes when you shift from re-arguing facts to demonstrating process failure.

If you or someone you support has faced this situation, this roadmap could make all the difference.

In high-stress advocacy cases, the biggest risk is rarely the opponent. It’s unmanaged help.

Supporters usually fall into three patterns:

• The Crusader — brings energy but can escalate too fast

• The Technician — brings insight but may overstep context

• The Rescuer — brings care but can burn out suddenly

The 19% headline is being framed as a trust problem.

It’s actually a positioning problem.

When the public hears “adviser,” they hear product.

When they hear “planner,” they hear partner.

The opportunity isn’t to persuade more people to use advisers — it’s to become planners for the moments that matter.

Integrity shouldn’t be a career risk.But inside many institutions, it still is.

People who speak up about wrongdoing often face stalled promotions, reputational damage, isolation, or forced exits that can even impact their pension and long-term financial security. So they stay quiet.

And when good people stay quiet, systems don’t reform — they entrench.That’s when citizens suffer: complaints dismissed, harm denied, justice delayed.

Silence doesn’t mean nothing is wrong. It often means the cost of telling the truth is too high.

I’ve written a new Get SAFE article exploring why integrity can be punished, why systems protect themselves, and what must change if we want accountability that actually protects the public.

Clear complaints get action. Emotional complaints get delayed.

When institutions review cases, they don’t assess stories — they assess testable facts. That’s why we created the Self-Check Filter for citizen investigators and anyone raising a formal concern.

Before you send an escalation email, ask:

✔ Is there one clear issue?

✔ One yes/no question?

“The legal clock is standing still.”

Or so it seems.

Standstill agreements and NDAs are often presented as protection. In reality, they can quietly shift risk onto the individual.

Before you sign anything, understand the trade-offs:

Pros

We’ve shared a new Get SAFE blog on a pattern we’re seeing more often: vulnerable people being drawn to online advice that sounds empowering but increases risk.

This isn’t about naming or shaming — it’s about keeping people safe when stress is high and clarity is low.

If you’re supporting someone in crisis (or are there yourself), we hope this helps you pause, ground, and choose safer next steps.

Steady support > false certainty.

Read more.

This piece is for helpers.

If you’ve found yourself replaying exchanges with the Financial Ombudsman Service, the Financial Conduct Authority, courts, or professionals who stay calm while people are harmed — you’re not imagining it.

The blog explains what’s really happening psychologically and structurally, and shares practical ways to cope so this work doesn’t cost you your health or sleep.

Helping helpers to Get SAFE matters too.

Read more.

This 2009 OFT study nailed something we still avoid: scams harm identity, not just finances. Shame and self-blame are part of the damage — and systems rarely address that.

Read more.