Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject.

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives any individual (data subject) the right to request access to all the information held about them. This is a Subject Access Request.

Anyone can make a request for information – there are no restrictions on your age, nationality or where you live.

The Commission already makes a wide range of information publicly available, so please search this website and our Publication Scheme before placing a request.

How to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request

Requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Data Protetion Act 1998 must be made in writing, either by email or by post. You can write to us at:

Civil Service Commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ

Or you can email us at: [email protected]

When making a request please provide the following:

• Your name and address for correspondence;
• A clear statement of the specific information you are requesting;
• A contact telephone number in case we need to discuss your request;
• The form in which you wish to receive your information e.g., by email or in hard copy;
• We may ask you for proof of identity in the case of a Subject Access Request to protect the identity of the data subject and ensure that the Data Protection Act 1998 is not breached.

If you need advice or assistance defining your request, please ask us. We will inform you if we require further information in order to identify and locate the information you have requested.

The process:

Once we have all the information we need from you we will search through the relevant records and collate the information. If third parties are named in that information, we may have to consult them before deciding whether it can be released.

Requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will receive a response within 20 working days following the date we receive your request. If we have sought clarification of the request, the 20 working day period does not start until that is received.

Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act 1998 will receive a response within 40 calendar days. If, however, we need more information from you before we can start dealing with the request, the 40 days will not start until we have that information.

If we need to extend the timescale to give proper consideration to the request then we will inform you of this.

In some circumstances, certain types of information may be withheld if there is a good reason for doing so. The Information Commissioner’s Office website lists the exemptions under which a public body may refuse to release information, most of which involve the application of a public interest test. If your request is refused, we will identify which exemption(s) we are relying on and will explain why we have decided that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request, or wish to request an internal review, you should email [email protected] or write to:

Chief Executive
Civil Service Commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1P 3BQ

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review conducted by the Civil Service Commission, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for an independent review. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Civil Service Commission. Requests for a review by the Information Commissioner should be submitted here or addressed to:

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF

More information can be found at www.ico.gov.uk.

Last updated: March 2026