For Individuals Only

This website is designed for individual consumers to understand their rights and track their own SAR and FOI requests.

It is not intended for commercial use by organisations, companies, or professionals managing requests on behalf of others.

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Freedom of Information (FOI)

Complete Guide

Everything you need to know about requesting information from public authorities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Your rights, deadlines, and what to do when they refuse.

20 Days
Working Days Deadline
£450
Cost Limit (Councils)
+20 Days
PIT Extension
Public Bodies
Councils, NHS, Government

What is a Freedom of Information Request?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to access recorded information held by public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Scotland has its own FOI Act.)

Unlike SARs which are about YOUR personal data, FOI requests are about ANY information a public authority holds – from emails and reports to meeting minutes and spending data.

What you can request:
Council meeting minutes decisions, agendas, reports
Emails between officials correspondence on specific topics
Spending and contracts financial records, tenders, agreements
Policies and procedures internal guidance, handbooks, rules
Statistics and reports data, research, performance info
Any recorded information if they hold it, you can request it

Who Can Make an FOI Request?

Anyone in the world

UK citizens and residents
Foreign nationals
Journalists and campaigners
Companies and organisations
No need to be affected by the information

Who must respond

Councils and local authorities
Government departments
NHS bodies and hospitals
Schools and universities
Police forces
Many other public bodies
Important: There's no requirement to be a UK citizen. FOI rights apply to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Deadlines – What You Need to Know

The legal deadline is: 20 Working Days from the day after they receive your request

Working days exclude

Weekends (Saturdays and Sundays)
Bank holidays
Public holidays
Example: The deadline runs from the first working day after the request is received.

Extensions (PIT)

Public Interest Test: They may extend for a reasonable period (usually up to a further 20 working days under ICO guidance) to complete the public interest test.
They must tell you within 20 working days
Only for qualified exemptions (e.g., Section 36, Section 43)
Note: If the 20th working day falls on a weekend or bank holiday, the deadline is the next working day.

Cost Limits – What's Free and What's Not

Cost Limits by Authority:

Central government: £600
Other public authorities: £450

If your request would exceed the cost limit, they can refuse or ask you to narrow it down. They are under a duty to provide advice and assistance to help you refine your request (Section 16 FOIA).

Common Myths vs. Truths

Myth: You need to use a specific form or mention "FOI" Truth: Any written request with your name and address is valid – you don't even need to say "FOI"
Myth: They can refuse if you're not a UK citizen Truth: FOI rights apply to anyone in the world
Myth: They can charge you for time spent searching Truth: They can only charge for postage/photocopies – NOT staff time or search costs
Myth: If they're late, there's nothing you can do Truth: The ICO has issued enforcement notices to councils with poor response times. They CAN be held accountable
Myth: They can refuse as "vexatious" just because you've complained before Truth: "Vexatious" has a high legal threshold. Legitimate scrutiny, even if critical, does not automatically make a request vexatious
Myth: They can refuse if the information is embarrassing Truth: Embarrassment is NOT a valid exemption. They must rely on specific FOIA exemptions

Exemptions – When Can They Refuse?

There are two types of exemptions under FOIA:

Absolute Exemptions

No public interest test needed

Section 21 – Information accessible by other means
Section 40 – Personal data (if it's someone else's)
Section 41 – Information provided in confidence
Section 44 – Prohibitions on disclosure

Qualified Exemptions

Require public interest test

Section 36 – Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs
Section 43 – Commercial interests
Section 35 – Government policy formulation
Section 22 – Information intended for future publication
Public Interest Test

For qualified exemptions, they must weigh the public interest in disclosure against maintaining the exemption. If they extend for a PIT, they have an extra 20 working days.

What If They Refuse or Miss the Deadline?

1

Request Internal Review

Ask them to review their decision. ICO guidance says internal reviews should normally be completed within 20 working days, and no more than 40 in complex cases.

2

Complain to ICO

If internal review fails, complain to the Information Commissioner's Office. The ICO has the power to issue enforcement notices requiring compliance.

3

Court Enforcement

If they ignore ICO enforcement, they can be taken to court for contempt under section 54 FOIA.

Pro Consumer Tips

Check disclosure logs first – Many authorities publish previous FOI responses online. Your info might already be there.
Be specific, not narrow – Describe the information you want, not specific documents. Let them find what's relevant.
If they exceed cost limit – Ask them to help you refine your request. They are under a duty to advise you how to narrow it down.
Don't accept "vexatious" claims – Requests are not vexatious just because they expose failures or cause embarrassment. Challenge it.
"We'll publish later" – hold them to it – Ask for a specific date and follow up. In some cases reported by the ICO, authorities have been criticised for poor records management following FOI refusals.
Accessible formats – You have rights under the Equality Act to request information in Braille, large print, or audio.
Tone doesn't matter – Politeness is recommended, but a request cannot be refused solely due to tone. However, abusive or harassing behaviour may affect how your request is handled.

Sample FOI Template

Dear [Public Authority],

Freedom of Information Request – Reference: [Optional]

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please provide the following information:

[Clearly describe the information you want – be specific about dates, topics, departments if known]

For example:
- All emails between [Person A] and [Person B] between [Date] and [Date] regarding [Topic]
- Minutes of meetings of [Committee] from [Date] to [Date]
- Total spending on [Category] in financial year [Year]

If any information is withheld, please:
1. State the specific exemption(s) you are relying on (e.g., Section 36, Section 43)
2. Explain why the exemption applies
3. Provide the public interest test reasoning (for qualified exemptions)
4. Inform me of my right to request an internal review

If the cost of complying would exceed the appropriate limit (£450/£600), please advise me how I can refine my request to bring it within the limit.

My name is: [Your Full Name]
My email address is: [Your Email]
My name and email address are provided for correspondence (an email address satisfies the legal requirement).

Regards,
[Your Name]
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References to specific ICO enforcement actions are based on publicly available ICO press releases and enforcement notices.