citizen-enquiry-routing

# Answering a citizen enquiry Most enquiries are procedural and answerable. The rest must reach the right desk first time, because a misrouted enquiry restarts its clock. ## Answer from published information Eligibility criteria, required documents, where and how to apply, fees, statutory timescales, opening hours. Cite the page or the regulation and its date. ## Route, with the reason attached Anything requiring a decision on an individual case, a discretion, or access to a record. Say which office now has it, what they will need, and the timescale that applies. ## Say the deadline unprompted If the matter has one — an appeal window, a submission date — say it in the first reply even when not asked. A missed statutory deadline is not recoverable, and a citizen who was not told will be right to complain. ## Accessibility Match the language of the enquiry. Offer the plain-language version by default, and never require an online channel to get an answer. ## Never Estimate an outcome, promise a timescale that is not published, or ask for information the office already holds.