Freedom of Information requests

What is a Freedom of Information request?

The 2000 Freedom of Information Act (FOI Act) allows members of the public the right to access all types of information held by public bodies, such as HEFCE. It came into effect on 1 January 2005.

The purpose of the Act is to promote greater openness and transparency, to help members of the public understand how Government works and the way in which decisions that affect all our lives are reached.

Under the Act, anyone is entitled to request information. You have the right to

• be told if HEFCE holds the information you want, and
• if we do, to be given a copy of it.

There are some legal exemptions to this. Also you may be required to pay a fee to receive the information (more details about charges for information requests).

Note that the FOI Act does not cover access to your personal data or information. Such requests continue to be subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

The FOI Act requires every public authority to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme, to publish information in accordance with its Scheme and, from time to time, to review the scheme. See HEFCE's publication scheme.

Page last updated 1 December 2011