How to report on your performance on handling requests for information under FOIA 2000

If you are a public authority with over 100 full time equivalent (FTE) employees, you should publish details of your performance on handling requests for information under FOIA 2000. This is part 8.5 of the section 45 code of practice.

We have written a set of definitions to clarify what data you need to collect. We have also produced three templates to help you compile these compliance statistics. You can choose to use your own recording system but our templates will aid consistency:

Key data collection – this is data you should collect to comply.
Additional data collection – this is data you could collect to give you a clearer understanding of your performance.
Exemptions and exceptions data collection – this is data you could collect about exemptions and exceptions applied.

You should:

Include all requests subject to FOIA or EIR (you may record FOI and EIR requests on separate forms, if appropriate).
Decide what period you want to split the data into - our templates refer to a calendar quarter, but you can amend to any other period (eg a calendar month).
Record data at the end of each period.
Present each total in whole numbers only (include 0, if appropriate).

Please note:

If you are subject to FOIA regulations under section 10(4), you should refer to statutory deadlines relevant to your organisation.
Some of the following data collection refers to applying permitted extensions. For support on how to appropriately define a permitted extension, please refer to our guidance: Time limits for compliance under the Freedom of Information Act (Section 10).

Key data collection

Data to collect	Definition	Which requests should we include?
Total requests received	All valid requests, including all processed and unprocessed requests. Do not include information requests that you have not responded to under FOIA (eg business as usual or subject access)	Received during the period
Total open requests	All requests that remain open, including any subject to a permitted extension	Received during the period
Total of open requests with permitted extensions – public interest test	All requests that remain open because you applied the public interest test to extend the time limit	Received during and before the period
Total of open requests with permitted extensions – complex and voluminous	All EIR requests that remain open because you applied a permitted extension due to the complexity or volume of the request	Received during and before the period
Total requests closed	All requests you closed, including withdrawn requests	Opened during and before the period
Total requests closed within statutory timescale	All requests you closed within the statutory 20 working day deadline or those you completed under permitted extensions, where appropriate	Opened during and before the period
Total requests closed with a permitted extension	All requests you closed using a permitted extension	Received during and before the period
Total requests closed outside statutory timescale	All requests you closed outside the statutory deadline, including all requests you closed in over 20 working days and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total closed requests where information was granted in full	All requests you closed and provided all information	Opened during and before the period
Total closed requests where information was withheld in full	All requests you closed and withheld all information	Opened during and before the period
Total closed requests where information was partially provided	All requests you closed and partially provided information	Opened during and before the period
Total internal reviews received	All requests that resulted in you opening an internal review	Internal reviews received during the period
Total requests with a stopped clock for clarification	All requests that remain open because the request is on hold, awaiting requestor clarification	Received during and before the period
Total requests with a paused clock for fees notice	All requests that remain open because the request is on hold, awaiting payment of a fee	Received during and before the period

Additional data collection

Data to collect	Definition	Which requests should we include?
Compliance rate	The percentage of requests you closed within the statutory deadline or those you completed under permitted extensions	Received during and before the period
Total FOI requests received	Valid FOI requests you received, including all processed and unprocessed requests. Do not include information requests that you have not responded to under FOIA (eg business as usual or subject access)	Received during the period
Total EIR requests received	Valid EIR requests you received, including all processed and unprocessed requests. Do not include information requests you have not responded to under FOIA (eg business as usual or subject access)	Received during the period
Total of overdue requests	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total of overdue requests over one month old	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are more than a month old and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total of overdue requests over three months old	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are more than three months old and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total of overdue requests over six months old	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are more than six months old and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total of overdue requests over nine months old	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are more than nine months old and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Total of overdue requests over one year old	All requests that remain open which have exceeded the statutory 20 working days or are more than a one year old and beyond the reasonable limits of a permitted extension	Opened during and before the period
Exemptions and exceptions applied	Record the number of times you applied each exemption or exception. You should apply each exemption or exception only once per request	Closed during the period
Total closed requests where information was withheld under the provision at section 12	All requests you closed as not complied with under the provisions of section 12	Closed during the period
Total closed requests where information was withheld under the provision at section 14	All requests you closed as not complied with under the provisions of section 14	Closed during the period
Total internal reviews closed	All internal reviews you closed	Internal reviews closed during the period
Total internal reviews closed within code of practice and statutory timescales	All internal reviews you closed within the code of practice (FOI) or statutory (EIR) deadline	Internal reviews closed during the period
Total internal reviews closed outside code of practice and statutory timescales	All internal reviews you closed exceeding the code of practice (FOI) or statutory (EIR) deadline received during and before the period	Internal reviews received during and before the period
Total internal reviews closed and upheld in full	All internal reviews you closed where the original decision on information disclosure was fully upheld	Internal reviews closed during the period
Total internal reviews closed and partially upheld	All internal reviews you closed where the original decision on information disclosure was partially upheld	Internal reviews closed during the period
Total internal reviews closed and overturned	All internal reviews you closed where the original decision on information disclosure was overturned	Internal reviews closed during the period
Total internal reviews open	All internal reviews that remain open	Internal reviews received during and before the period

You can access our template here: