A Freedom of Information (FOI) request is a formal written application made to a public authority under section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA 2000), asking the authority to confirm whether it holds specified information and, if so, to disclose that information to the requester. The FOIA 2000 came fully into force on 1 January 2005 and represents one of the most significant transparency reforms in modern UK constitutional history. It applies to all public authorities listed in Schedule 1 to the Act and those designated by Order under s.5 FOIA 2000, including every government department from the Cabinet Office to HMRC, all local councils, NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups, maintained schools, universities, the police, fire services, publicly owned companies, and Parliament itself.

The right of access created by s.1(1) FOIA 2000 is universal: any person — individual, company, or organisation, regardless of nationality or residence — may make an FOI request and has the right to receive the information held unless a specific statutory exemption applies. The requester is not required to explain their reasons for wanting the information, and the authority cannot refuse simply because it considers the purpose inconvenient, embarrassing, or commercially sensitive, unless a relevant exemption is engaged. The Act creates two parallel duties on public authorities: the duty to confirm or deny whether the information is held (s.1(1)(a)), and the duty to communicate the information if it is held (s.1(1)(b)).

FOI requests must comply with the formal requirements of s.8 FOIA 2000: the request must be in writing (which includes email), state the requester’s real name, provide an address for correspondence (which may be an email address), and describe the information requested with sufficient clarity for the authority to identify it. Beyond these requirements, no other formality is needed. The FOIA 2000 operates alongside the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/3391), which implement the Aarhus Convention and provide a parallel access regime for environmental information that is generally more permissive than the FOIA 2000 itself. Where information falls within the EIR 2004, the authority should apply that regime rather than the FOIA 2000.

The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 govern the cost limits (£450 or £600) above which authorities may refuse requests under s.12 FOIA 2000, and the fees they may charge for disbursements where they do comply. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of the FOIA 2000 and has power under s.50 FOIA 2000 to issue decision notices enforceable by the High Court.

You should use this Freedom of Information request template whenever you need information from a public authority and believe that authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. FOI requests are an important tool for journalists, researchers, campaigners, businesses, lawyers, and private individuals seeking accountability and transparency from publicly funded bodies.

Typical situations where an FOI request is appropriate include: journalists investigating public spending, procurement decisions, or policy-making; researchers seeking data for academic studies on public services, crime, health, or the environment; businesses wishing to understand regulatory decisions, planning history, or the basis of procurement awards; lawyers seeking documents relevant to litigation or regulatory proceedings; tenants and homeowners seeking planning decisions, inspection reports, or housing authority records; patients seeking information about NHS decisions on service provision or treatment protocols; local residents investigating council spending, planning permissions, or regulatory enforcement; and any person wishing to understand how a public authority has reached a decision that affects them.

You should also use this template — or be aware of its limitations — in the following circumstances. If the information concerns your own personal data, the correct mechanism is a Subject Access Request (SAR) under Article 15 of the UK GDPR and s.45 of the Data Protection Act 2018, not an FOI request; the authority is entitled to refuse an FOI request for the requester’s own personal data under s.40(1) FOIA 2000. If the information relates to the environment (pollution levels, planning applications, environmental permits, ecological surveys), consider requesting it under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 instead of or in addition to the FOIA 2000, as the EIR 2004 exceptions are narrower and the presumption in favour of disclosure is stronger. If the authority is a private company that is not publicly owned, the FOIA 2000 does not apply; however, companies that deliver public functions under contract (such as private prisons or outsourced local authority services) may be subject to the Act in relation to those functions. In those cases, the request should be directed to the public authority that commissioned the service.

A well-drafted FOI request specifying a clear date range, identifiable document types, and a defined subject matter is far more likely to receive a prompt, substantive response than a broad or vague request that engages the s.12 cost limit or requires extensive clarification under s.1(3) FOIA 2000.

A properly drafted Freedom of Information request under the FOIA 2000 contains several key elements that together maximise the likelihood of a prompt and complete response. The first element is the requester’s identification: a valid request under s.8(1)(b) FOIA 2000 must state the requester’s real name and provide a correspondence address, which may be an email address. Anonymous requests are not valid under the FOIA 2000, although the Information Commissioner’s Office has issued guidance that pseudonymous requests may be valid if the pseudonym provides a sufficient means of identification.

The second key element is the identification of the correct public authority. The request must be directed to the authority that actually holds the information; a request sent to the wrong body does not trigger the 20-working-day response period. Under s.15 FOIA 2000, an authority that receives a request but does not hold the information should, if possible, advise the requester of the correct authority. Checking the Schedule 1 list and the ICO’s online public authority register before sending the request saves time.

The third and most important element is the description of the information requested. This must describe the information clearly enough for the authority to identify it. The description should specify: the subject matter; the relevant date range; the type of documents sought (emails, minutes, reports, contracts, data sets); and any reference numbers, project names, or department names that will help narrow the search. Overly broad descriptions covering entire policy areas without date limits are the single most common reason requests are refused under s.12 FOIA 2000 (cost limit) or are delayed while the authority seeks clarification under s.1(3).

The fourth element is a reference to the 20-working-day response deadline under s.10(1) FOIA 2000. Including this in the letter puts the authority on notice from the outset of its statutory obligation to respond promptly. The fifth element is the format preference under s.11 FOIA 2000: specifying whether you want the information by email, in hard copy, or available for inspection at the authority’s offices ensures the authority fulfils its obligation to give effect to your preference so far as reasonably practicable.

The sixth element is the request for explanation of exemptions. If the authority intends to rely on a qualified exemption under Part II FOIA 2000, it must conduct a public interest balancing test under s.2(2)(b) and set out the factors weighed. Expressly requesting this explanation in the letter enables you to assess the adequacy of the authority’s reasoning and to challenge it effectively on internal review or before the ICO. The seventh element is the reference to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, which is important where the requested information may relate to environmental matters and ensures the more permissive EIR 2004 regime is applied where appropriate. The eighth element is a clear statement of your right to internal review and to complain to the ICO, which signals to the authority that you are aware of the enforcement framework and intend to use it if necessary.