Freedom of information gives people a legal route to recorded information held by public authorities. It is one of the simplest accountability tools in British public life: a requester does not need to be a journalist, campaigner or lawyer, and generally does not need to explain why the information is wanted.
What can be requested?
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to recorded information held by a wide range of public authorities. Requests can cover documents, correspondence, statistics, policies and other records that already exist.
The law does not require an authority to create new analysis simply because someone asks for it. Nor does it guarantee disclosure in every case.
Why exemptions matter
Some information can be withheld to protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, law enforcement or commercial confidentiality. Different exemptions operate in different ways, and some require authorities to consider whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs the case for withholding the material.
What happens after a refusal?
A refusal is not necessarily the end of the process. Requesters can normally seek an internal review and may then complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. That appeals structure matters because transparency depends not only on having a right on paper, but on being able to challenge how the right is interpreted.
Freedom of information cannot make government fully transparent. It can, however, expose records that help journalists, researchers and citizens test official claims against documentary evidence.
Read the Information Commissioner’s guidance on accessing official information.
