Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The complainant has requested information on “change of circumstances” letters. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) initially denied holding the requested information but amended its position to refuse to comply with the request on the basis of section 14(1), vexatious requests. The Commissioner’s decision is that DWP is entitled to rely on section 14(1) to refuse to comply with the request. The Commissioner does, however, find that DWP breached section 17(5) as it did not provide its refusal notice within the statutory timeframe. The Commissioner does not require DWP to take any further steps.