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Making Freedom of Information requests simple

Find the right organisation, write a better request, and understand the response you receive.

🗺️ Find an organisation📖 Learn about FOI
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Hi, I’m Pip

I’ll help you write Freedom of Information requests in plain English.

Build your FOI request

Answer a few short questions and Pip will draft a clear, well-worded Freedom of Information request for you.

Build your request with Pip

Question 1 of 5

Describe it in plain English. Pip will help you tighten it up.

New to Freedom of Information?

Before you write an FOI, make sure an FOI is actually the right route.

🟦 FOI

Freedom of Information request

For existing information held by a public authority — spending, policies, statistics, contracts, meeting minutes.

Read the FOI guide →
🟩 Subject Access

Subject Access Request

For personal information an organisation holds about you — your records, correspondence, notes about you.

Learn about Subject Access →
🟨 Environmental Information

Environmental Information request

For environmental information — pollution, planning, emissions, water quality, environmental risks.

Learn about EIR →
🟥 Complaint

Complaint

For poor service, delays, wrong outcomes, or concerns about conduct that need investigating.

Learn about complaining →

This is guidance, not legal advice.

How it works

Three simple steps.

  1. Step 1

    Find the organisation

    Search the Government Information Map to identify who is likely to hold the records.

  2. Step 2

    Write your request

    Use Pip's builder to describe the recorded information you want in plain English.

  3. Step 3

    Understand the response

    Learn what different replies mean and what to do next.

Understanding FOI

Freedom of Information gives anyone the right to request recorded information from public authorities. Here are the terms you'll come across.

What is recorded information?
Information that already exists in a document, email, spreadsheet, database, recording or another stored format. FOI does not require an authority to create new information or give an opinion — only to disclose what it already holds.
What is a public authority?
An organisation covered by information-access law — such as a government department, local council, police force, NHS body, state school or many regulators. Private companies are usually not covered, even when they deliver public services.
What is an exemption?
A legal reason an authority may use to withhold some or all of the requested information — for example national security, personal data, or commercial interests. Some exemptions are absolute; others require a public interest test.
What is a Section 17 refusal?
If an authority refuses your request in whole or in part, it must issue a refusal notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The notice must state which exemption applies and explain the authority's reasoning.
What is an internal review?
Asking the same authority to reconsider how it handled your request. You can request one if the reply was late, unclear, incomplete, or you think an exemption was wrongly applied. If you're still unhappy, you can then complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Before you send

A quick check before you hit send.

Checklist

Find an organisation

You'll usually need to know who to write to before you write the request. Search the Government Information Map by name, responsibility or type of information.

Open the full Government Information Map
Templates

Ready-made templates

Copy either template and replace the bracketed sections with your details.

Recommended
Most FOI requests only need this.
Dear Freedom of Information Team,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following recorded information:

[Describe the information requested.]

Please provide the information electronically where possible.

If any part of this request is unclear, please contact me so I may clarify or refine it.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]
Advanced
Use for exemptions, refusals and internal reviews.
Dear Freedom of Information Team,

I am making this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please provide the following recorded information:

[Describe the information you require.]

This request relates to:

[Department / Team / Project]

Time period:

[Insert dates]

Please provide the information electronically where possible.

If any part of this request is unclear, please contact me before refusing the request so I may clarify or refine it.

If the information is already publicly available, please provide the direct link.

If any information is exempt from disclosure, please disclose the remainder.

If relying on an exemption, please specify which exemption(s) apply and explain why.

If a qualified exemption is relied upon, please include details of the public interest test.

If this request is refused, please issue a refusal notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and explain how I may request an Internal Review.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]
Information provided

Check whether all parts of the request were answered.

Information partly provided

Look for explanations of what was withheld and why.

Information not held

Check whether another authority may hold it.

Clarification requested

Reply with a narrower or clearer description.

Cost limit applied

Consider narrowing the dates, records or departments.

Exemption applied

Check the authority identifies the exemption and explains its reasoning.

No response

Follow up and keep a record of the original submission date.