My Power: Investigation

Freedom of Information: Unlock the Secrets

Public bodies spend your money. You have a legal right to know exactly how. The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) is the citizen's most powerful weapon against secrecy.

What Can You Ask For?

Contracts awarded (and to whom)
Internal emails discussing a specific topic
Statistics on crime, health, or spending
Minutes of meetings

Who Must Answer?

Over 100,000 public authorities, including:

Local Councils

Police Forces

NHS Trusts

Government Depts

Schools & Universities

BBC / Channel 4

3 Golden Rules for FOI Success

Be Specific

Don't ask "How much do you spend on roads?". Ask "What was the total expenditure on pothole repairs in Leeds between Jan 1 2024 and Dec 31 2024?".

Keep it Under Cost

If your request costs more than £450 (18 hours work) to answer, they can refuse. Keep your questions focused.

Use WhatDotheyKnow

Submit via WhatDoTheyKnow.com. It makes the request public, meaning everyone can see the answer (or the refusal).

They Refused. Now What?

Public bodies love to say no. They will often cite "Commercial Sensitivity" or "Vexatious Request". Do not accept this.

Internal Review: Demand an internal review. Often a senior officer will overturn the refusal because the first decision was lazy.
ICO Complaint: If they still refuse, complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). It's free and they have the power to force disclosure.

Pro Tip: The Meta-Request

If you don't know what to ask for, ask for the index or file list first.
"Please provide a list of all files in folder X" is cheap and easy for them. Once you have the list, you can pick the specific juicy documents you want, avoiding the cost limit.

Start Digging Today

The FOI Request Checklist

Ensure your request hits the mark first time.

Identify the Authority: Confirm who holds the data (e.g., District Council vs County Council vs Police).
Check Previous Releases: Search their Disclosure Log to see if they've already answered it.
Be Specific: 'All emails about roads' will be rejected. 'Emails between Head of Highways and Cllr Smith regarding pot holes on High Street, Jan-Mar 2024' will likely succeed.
Format Choice: State 'I would prefer to receive this information electronically in .xlsx format' for data.
Real Name: You must use your real name (Section 8 of the FOI Act). Pseudonyms can be invalid.
No 'Why': You do not need to explain why you want the information.
Send via WhatDoTheyKnow: This makes the request public and tracks the 20-working-day deadline automatically.

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