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FOI and Data Journalism Toolkit

Everything UK journalists need to file effective Freedom of Information requests, challenge refusals, navigate exemptions, and find open data. Templates, guides, and tools all in one place.

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Start here

This hub is for journalists at all experience levels who want to use FOI effectively. Whether you have never filed a request before, are dealing with a refusal, or are building a data-driven investigation, start with the guides below.

New to FOI? Read How to File an FOI Request and then use the FOI Request Builder in our Tools section. Already filing?Jump to Deadlines & exemptions or Authority-specific guides.

On this page

In-depth FOI guides

Twenty dedicated, regularly-reviewed guides covering each part of the UK FOI workflow — every page has a plain-English explanation, red flags, a practical checklist, primary source links, and a tool/template CTA.

How to file an FOI requestFOI templates library (15 templates)FOI deadlines & the 20-day ruleFOI exemptions (s.12–s.44)Understanding & challenging refusalsInternal review templateICO complaint templateEIR vs FOIACouncil FOI requestsNHS FOI requestsPolice FOI requestsUniversity FOI requestsCentral government FOISchool & academy trust FOI20+ FOI story ideasUK data sources beyond FOIUsing WhatDoTheyKnowFOI tracker templateFOI appeal case studiesFOI for investigationsProcurement & spending requestsComplaints & safeguarding data

FOI Basics

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives any person the right to request recorded information held by public authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own FOISA 2002. Environmental information is governed separately by EIR 2004.

How to File an FOI Request
Step-by-step: drafting, submitting, tracking, and following up a request to any UK public authority.
Investigative Journalism Techniques UK
How FOI fits into a broader investigative toolkit: sources, documents, data, and verification.

Templates

Use the FOI Request Builder in our tools section to generate a ready-to-send request. We have pre-built templates for NHS trusts and police forces — two of the most FOI-active authorities for investigative reporters.

General FOI Request Template
Covers any UK public authority — council, government department, quango.
NHS FOI Template
Pre-formatted for NHS trusts and ICBs, with common request categories.
Police FOI Template
Structured for forces in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Deadlines & Exemptions

Understanding how the 20-working-day clock works — and the full list of exemptions — is essential for knowing when an authority is playing fair and when it is not.

Key deadlines at a glance

  • 20working days to respond to an FOI request (from receipt)
  • 20working days to complete an internal review (may extend to 40 for complex cases)
  • 3months to complain to the ICO after internal review (recommended; no hard limit)
  • 28days to appeal an ICO Decision Notice to the First-tier Tribunal

Most commonly cited exemptions

S.12Cost limit (£450/£600) — challenge by narrowing your request
S.21Information accessible by other means — check if it really is
S.22Intended for future publication — ask for a publication date
S.24National security — absolute exemption, hard to challenge
S.35Policy formulation — qualified exemption, apply public interest test
S.36Effective conduct of public affairs — needs qualified person sign-off
S.40Personal data of third parties — often legitimate, sometimes overused
S.43Commercial interests — qualified; check the public interest

Refusals & Appeals

A refusal is not the end. Most FOI refusals can be challenged. The process is: internal review → ICO complaint → First-tier Tribunal → Upper Tribunal (on points of law).

1
Request an internal review
Write to the authority asking for an internal review of the refusal. Explain specifically why you think the exemption is wrong or the public interest favours disclosure. Keep it concise — one to two paragraphs per exemption challenged.
2
Complain to the ICO
If the internal review fails or is not completed within 20 working days, complain to the ICO online. Include your original request, the authority's response, and your internal review correspondence. The ICO is free and legally binding.
3
Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal
If you disagree with the ICO's Decision Notice, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) within 28 days. You can represent yourself. The tribunal can substitute its own decision.

Authority-Specific Guides

Different public authorities have different information management practices, response cultures, and quirks. These guides give you authority-specific tips.

Local Councils
Access to committee papers, agendas, decision logs, and councillor expenses via FOI and the Local Government Act 1972.
NHS Trusts & ICBs
Use our NHS FOI template. Common requests: waiting times, staffing, complaints, and procurement data.
Police Forces
Use our Police FOI template. Crime statistics, use of force, complaints data, and vetting failures.
Central Government Departments
Tips for filing with Whitehall departments, including how to handle s.35 policy exemptions.
Universities & Schools
Higher education is subject to FOI; maintained schools are not directly, but many councils will hold relevant data.
Quangos & Arm's Length Bodies
NDPBs, agencies, and regulators — checking if an organisation is subject to FOI using Schedule 1 FOIA 2000.

UK Data Sources for Journalists

Before filing an FOI request, check whether the data you need is already published. These are the most useful open data portals for UK data journalists.

Data Journalism Beginners Guide
Where to find, clean, and analyse UK public data. Spreadsheets, APIs, and visualisation tools explained.
data.gov.uk ↑
The government's open data portal — thousands of datasets from central and local government.
ONS ↑
Office for National Statistics — census data, economic statistics, and population figures.
WhatDoTheyKnow ↑
Archive of published FOI responses across UK public authorities. Search before you file.
House of Commons Library ↑
Research briefings, committee reports, and written parliamentary questions.
Investigative Data Techniques
How to use Companies House, Land Registry, and court records in investigations.

All FOI & Data Guides

How to File an FOI Request
Step-by-step guide to any UK public authority.
Data Journalism for Beginners
Open data, spreadsheets, and your first visualisation.
Investigative Journalism Techniques
Document trails, sources, and using public records.
Covering Local Government
Councils, FOI, and public access rights.

Tools & Templates

Use our FOI Request Builder to generate ready-to-send requests. Includes NHS and Police-specific templates built by journalists who file these requests regularly.

FOI Deadline Calculator
Add 20 working days to your sent date — get the statutory deadline and a copyable follow-up email.
FOI Request Builder
Generate a compliant, well-drafted FOI request for any UK public authority type in seconds.
FOI Appeal Builder
Draft an internal review request that cites the right exemption (s.12/14/21/22/31/40/41/43).
ICO Complaint Builder
Escalate to the Information Commissioner with the right evidence checklist and format.
EIR vs FOI Selector
6-question decision tree to pick the right regime for environmental information requests.
NHS & Police templates
Authority-specific pre-built templates ready to copy or print.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a public authority have to respond to an FOI request?
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, public authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland must respond within 20 working days. Scotland has its own Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, also with a 20-working-day limit. The clock starts from the date the authority receives the request, not when you sent it.
Can a public authority refuse an FOI request entirely?
Yes, if an exemption applies. There are two types: absolute exemptions (where the public interest test does not apply, e.g. national security, court records, parliamentary privilege) and qualified exemptions (where the authority must apply a public interest test). Common qualified exemptions include policy formulation, commercial interests, and personal data. Authorities must still confirm whether they hold the information unless doing so would itself reveal exempt information.
What is the difference between FOI and EIR?
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) cover requests for environmental information held by public authorities. EIR has a broader definition of who is subject to it (it can catch privatised utilities and some private companies exercising public functions), has a presumption in favour of disclosure, and uses exceptions rather than exemptions. If your request involves anything environmental — land, water, air, planning, biodiversity — use EIR rather than FOI.
What happens if a public authority misses the 20-working-day deadline?
A missed deadline is a breach. You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) immediately — you do not have to wait for an internal review first when the issue is delay. The ICO can issue Decision Notices requiring the authority to respond. Serial late responses can result in formal enforcement action and reputational damage for the authority.
Can I appeal a refusal?
Yes. First, request an internal review from the authority — they must complete this within 20 working days (or 40 for complex cases). If you are still unhappy, complain to the ICO, which will investigate and can issue a Decision Notice ordering disclosure. The ICO's decisions can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and beyond on points of law.
Are there FOI exemptions that are commonly misused?
Yes. Section 12 (cost limit — requests costing more than £450 or £600 to respond to) and Section 36 (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) are among the most overused. Section 12 can sometimes be managed by narrowing your request. Section 36 requires sign-off by a "reasonable opinion" of a qualified person — challenge it if the authority cannot explain who gave that opinion and why.
Does FOI apply to private companies?
Generally no — FOI in the UK only applies to public authorities listed in the Act or designated by Order. However, some private companies carrying out public functions may be caught by EIR. Privatised utilities are often subject to EIR for environmental information. Companies contracting with public bodies are not subject to FOI directly, but the authority holding the contract may be.

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