Freedom of Information statistics
The Cabinet Office has responsibility for Freedom of Information policy in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and publishes information on the handling of requests.
Accredited official statistics
These statistics have been independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority’s Code of Practice for Statistics which broadly means these statistics are:
- managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
- meet identified user needs
- produced according to sound methods
- well explained and readily accessible
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).
OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
These statistics were independently reviewed by the OSR in June 2017. See Assessment Report 328 Freedom of Information Statistics - implementation in Central Government. Since this review by the OSR, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics. Further information on the production of these statistics can be found on our FOI statistics supporting documents page, and the Cabinet Office standards and policies page.
Previous editions
For all previous editions of FOI statistics please visit our online archive.
Tell us what you think
We always welcome views on our publications. Please fill in our user feedback form or email us at foistatistics@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Feedback received will contribute to the future development of our publications.
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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2015
2014
2013
2010 to 2012
Last updated 20 December 2023 + show all updates
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Added Freedom of Information statistics: July to September 2023
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Added Freedom of Information statistics: April to June 2023
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Added Freedom of Information statistics: January to March 2023
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Updated with latest FoI statistics
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Added Freedom of Information statistics: January to March 2022
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Links added to published Q4 and Annual 2021 Freedom of Information statistics
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Added Freedom of Information statistics: July to September 2021
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Addition of Freedom of Information statistics: April to June 2021
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Added 2021 section
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Links added to published Q4 and Annual 2020 Freedom of Information statistics
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Addition of Freedom of Information statistics: July to September 2020.
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Addition of the document 'Freedom of Information statistics: April to June 2020'.
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Addition of Freedom of Information statistics for January to March 2020.
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"Freedom of Information statistics: annual 2019" and "Freedom of Information statistics: October to December 2019" have been added to this page.
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We have added Q3 statistics for 2019.
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Added Q2 stats
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Added 2019 section
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Added 2018 Q4 and 2018 annual data. Corrections section updated.
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Added July to September 2018 data.
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Added note to 2018 section about the change to release date.
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FOI statistics from April to June added
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We have added January to March 2018 statistics.
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We have added statistics for January to March 2018.
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There was an error on Slide 14 of the chart in the 2017 Annual bulletin - 'Most commonly used exemptions'. This has now been corrected. The data tables and CSV files were unaffected.
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October to December 2017 and annual 2017 FoI pages added to collection.
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2017 Q4 and 2017 Annual statistics added to page
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July to September 2017 data added.
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Q2 2017 statistics added.
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Updated information under 'National statistics' sub-heading, linked to new quarterly statistics.
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Updated with October to December 2016 and annual data.
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Added July to September 2016 data.
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Added April to June 2016 data.
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Added January to March 2016 data.
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Added Q4 2015 to the collection
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Added statistics for July to September 2015
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Freedom of information statistics: January to March 2015
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Freedom of Information statistics for October to December 2014 and annual published.
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July to September 2014 statistics added
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Freedom of Information statistics - 1 April to 30 June 2014 published
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Freedom of Information statistics: April to June 2014 published
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Freedom of Information statistics from 1 January to 31 March 2014 published.
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Freedom of Information Statistics - October - December 2013 and Annual added.
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First published.