Freedom of Information
(FOI)
The right to request information held by public authorities in the UK under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Anyone can make an FOI request — the authority must respond within 20 working days. Exemptions apply to certain categories of information such as personal data, national security, and commercial interests. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) handles complaints about FOI responses.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) applies to all public authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including central government departments, local councils, NHS bodies, schools, and the police. The Scottish equivalent is the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Requests must be made in writing (including email), describe the information sought, and provide a name and correspondence address. The authority must respond within 20 working days, either providing the information, confirming it does not hold it, or claiming an exemption. Absolute exemptions (such as court records and personal data) and qualified exemptions (subject to a public interest test) are listed in the Act. If a requester is dissatisfied, they can request an internal review and then complain to the ICO. The ICO can issue decision notices requiring the authority to disclose information or upholding the refusal. Environmental information requests fall under a separate regime (the Environmental Information Regulations 2004).