Do I need to mention the Freedom of Information Act?

No. GOV.UK says you do not need to say which law you are using.

Can I ask for information about myself?

That is a subject access request rather than a Freedom of Information request. Write to the body's Data Protection Officer, whose details are in its privacy notice. It should reply within 1 month.

What is the ICO's new address?

ICO Head Office, 4th Floor, No.3 Circle Square, 5 Hawkshaw Street, Manchester, M1 7BL. The ICO moved there from Wilmslow on 28 September 2026, and says post already sent to Wilmslow will be redirected.

How do I complain to the ICO about a Freedom of Information request?

Ask the public body for an internal review first. Then complain to the ICO within six weeks of its response. The ICO says the easiest way is through its website.

How to Make a Freedom of Information Request

Q: How long does a public body have to reply?

It must reply promptly, and no later than the 20th working day after it receives your request.

You can ask a public body for information it holds. Put your request in writing, and we print it and post it for you by Royal Mail. Choose a tracked or signed for service for a record of when it arrived.

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Quick Answer

Reply due: 20 working days
Ask for a review: Within 40 working days
Complain to the ICO: Within 6 weeks
Cost: Usually free

The 20 working days are counted from the day after the public body receives your request.

Works on any computer, tablet or phone

Where to Send Your Request

Send your request to the public body that holds the information. GOV.UK has no central list of FOI addresses, so check the body's own website or its GOV.UK page. Here is one example.

Department for Work and Pensions

Freedom of Information requests to DWP.

Freedom of Information requestsDepartment for Work and PensionsCaxton HouseTothill StreetLondonSW1H 9NAUnited Kingdom

Write to this address

If You Are Not Happy With the Answer

Ask the public body for an internal review first. If you are still unhappy, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner's Office

Complaints about Freedom of Information requests in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to UK-wide public bodies.

ICO Head Office4th Floor, No.3 Circle Square5 Hawkshaw StreetManchesterM1 7BL

The ICO moved here from Wilmslow on 28 September 2026. It says the easiest way to complain is through its website.

First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights)

Appealing against an ICO decision notice.

First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights)GRC & GRP TribunalsPO Box 9300LeicesterLE1 8DJ

Appeals must be made within 28 days.

Checked against GOV.UK, the ICO and legislation.gov.uk on 17 October 2026.

How It Works

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1Pick the right addressFind the team you need below and press Write to this address. We fill in the address for you.
2Write your letterType your letter in our editor, or upload a PDF you have already written. You see the finished letter before you pay.
3We print it and post itOrder by 2.30pm on a working day and we post it the same day by Royal Mail. Choose a tracked or signed for service if you want a record that it arrived.

What Your Request Must Include

Under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, a request must be in writing, give your name and an address for correspondence, and describe the information you want. A letter does all three.

You do not need to say which law you are using. If you would like the information in a particular format, say so. If you are asking for environmental information, you do not need to give your name.

How Long the Public Body Has

The public body must reply promptly, and no later than the 20th working day after it receives your request. Weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and bank holidays do not count. For requests to Scottish public bodies sent by post, GOV.UK says to allow 6 extra days.

Sending your request by a tracked or signed for service gives you a record of the day it arrived, so you know when the 20 working days started.

What It Costs

Most requests are free, but you might be asked to pay a small amount for photocopies or postage.

If Your Request Is Refused or Ignored

Write to the public body and ask it to review its decision. The ICO says a body could refuse to deal with a review request made more than 40 working days after its response, and that a review usually takes up to another 20 working days.

If you are still unhappy, or the body has not replied after 20 working days and you have followed it up, complain to the ICO within six weeks. Send copies of your request, the response, your review request and the review outcome. Complaints about Scottish public bodies go to the Scottish Information Commissioner instead.

More Ways to Send

HMRC Postal AddressAddresses for tax questions and complaints DVLA Postal AddressAddresses for licences, vehicles and complaints DWP and PIP Postal AddressAddresses for PIP, complaints and requests

Frequently Asked Questions

Write to the public body that holds the information. Give your name, an address for correspondence and a clear description of what you want. You can send it by letter, by email or through the body's online form.

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