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Allegation Index

REF allegationindex.org · 6 November 2026

What an allegation's status actually means

Complaint, charge, finding, upheld, withdrawn, settled: the exact meaning of each stage in official processes, and how allegations are formally resolved.

Data tools

Status glossary23Plain meanings of status terms used by courts, prosecutors, regulators, ombudsmen and standards bodies, from complaint to final notice.Complaint bodies13Ombudsman schemes, parliamentary standards commissioners, regulators and prosecutors, with what each one examines, its outcomes and published figures.Outcome statistics24Aggregate figures from official annual reports and data releases: complaints received, uphold rates, investigations, enforcement actions and penalties.CMA cases600UK Competition and Markets Authority cases with case type, open or closed state, dates and the outcome recorded on GOV.UK.

Status and stages

Allegation, charge and finding: three different stagesAn allegation is a claim, a charge is a formal accusation by a prosecutor, and a finding is a decision by a court or tribunal. How each stage works in law.What an allegation status means in official processesHow courts, regulators and standards bodies label an allegation at each stage, from complaint and investigation to notice, charge, finding and appeal.

Standards of proof

Standards of proof compared across courts and other bodiesBeyond reasonable doubt, balance of probabilities, clear and convincing evidence and the tests prosecutors and parliaments use, with the law.

How allegations are resolved

How parliaments handle complaints about membersHow the UK, Canada, the US House and Malta take, investigate and decide complaints about legislators, with tests, outcomes and appeals.Settled without admission of wrongdoing, explainedWhat it means when a regulator settles a case without an admission, how the SEC and FCA settle, and the 2026 end of the SEC no-deny policy.Upheld, not upheld, withdrawn and dismissed explainedWhat it means when a complaint is upheld or not upheld, when a charge is withdrawn or discontinued, and when a case is closed with no action.What ombudsman complaint outcomes meanHow ombudsman schemes in the UK, the EU and Kenya decide complaints, what upheld, maladministration and solution mean, and the latest published figures.

Reporting rules

Sub judice and contempt of court rules comparedHow the UK, Australia, Singapore, India, Canada and the US limit reporting on pending cases, with the tests, timing rules and penalties set out in law.