An Act to make provision for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to amend the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Public Records Act 1958; and for connected purposes.
Freedom of Information Act 2000 Skip to main content Skip to navigation legislation.gov.uk https://www.nationalarchives.gov.ukCymraeg Home Explore our collections Research tools Help and guidance What's new About us Search Legislation Search Legislation Title: (or keywords in the title) Year: Number: Type:All UK Legislation (excluding originating from the EU)--------------------------------------------All Legislation (including originating from EU)--------------------------------------------All Legislation originating from the EU that is amended by the UK--------------------------------------------All Primary Legislation UK Public General Acts UK Local Acts UK Private and Personal Acts Acts of the Scottish Parliament Acts of Senedd Cymru Acts of the National Assembly for Wales Measures of the National Assembly for Wales Church Measures Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Old Scottish Parliament Acts of the English Parliament Acts of the Old Irish Parliament Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Local Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Private and Personal Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Northern Ireland Orders in Council Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Northern Ireland Parliament--------------------------------------------All Secondary Legislation UK Statutory Instruments Welsh Statutory Instruments Scottish Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Statutory Rules Church Instruments UK Ministerial Directions UK Ministerial Orders UK Statutory Rules and Orders Northern Ireland Statutory Rules and Orders--------------------------------------------All Legislation originating from the EU Regulations originating from the EU Regulations originating from the EU that are amended by the UK Decisions originating from the EU Decisions originating from the EU that are amended by the UK Directives originating from the EU European Union Treaties--------------------------------------------All Draft Legislation UK Draft Statutory Instruments Scottish Draft Statutory Instruments Northern Ireland Draft Statutory Rules--------------------------------------------All Impact Assessments UK Impact Assessments Search Advanced Search Freedom of Information Act 2000 You are here: UK Public General Acts 2000 c. 36 Table of contents Table of Contents Content Explanatory Notes More Resources Plain View Print Options What Version Latest available (Revised) Original (As enacted) Opening Options Open whole Act Open Act without Schedules Open Schedules only More Resources Original: King's Printer Version View more Changes to legislation: Freedom of Information Act 2000 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 15 August 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes to Legislation Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below. View outstanding changes Changes and effects yet to be applied to : s. 18 cross-heading words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(3) s. 18 heading words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(4)(a) Pt. 3 heading words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(7) s. 10(5)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(2) s. 18(3)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(4)(b)(i) s. 18(3)(a) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(4)(b)(ii) s. 19(1)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(a) s. 19(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(b)(i) s. 19(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(b)(ii) s. 19(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(c)(i) s. 19(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(c)(iii) s. 19(6) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(c)(ii) s. 19(7) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(d)(i) s. 19(7) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(d)(ii) s. 19(7) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(5)(d)(iii) s. 20(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(a)(i) s. 20(1) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(a)(ii) s. 20(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(b) s. 20(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(c)(i) s. 20(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(c)(ii) s. 20(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(i) s. 20(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(iii) s. 20(4) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(d)(ii) s. 20(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(i) s. 20(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(iii) s. 20(5) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(e)(ii) s. 20(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(i) s. 20(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(iii) s. 20(6) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(f)(ii) s. 20(7) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(i) s. 20(7) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(ii) s. 20(7) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(6)(g)(iii) s. 45(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(8) s. 46(5)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(9) s. 47 heading word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(a) s. 47(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(b)(i) s. 47(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(b)(ii) s. 47(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(c)(i) s. 47(2) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(c)(ii) s. 47(2) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(c)(iii) s. 47(2) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(c)(iv) s. 47(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(d) s. 47(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(e)(i) s. 47(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(e)(ii) s. 47(4D) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(f) s. 47(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(g)(i) s. 47(5) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(g)(ii) s. 47(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(10)(h) s. 48(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(a)(i) s. 48(1) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(a)(ii) s. 48(1) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(a)(iii) s. 48(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(b) s. 48(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(c) s. 48(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(11)(d) s. 50 amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2009/3157, reg. 11(4) by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 3 para. 12(2)(b) s. 50 heading word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(a) s. 50(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(b) s. 50(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(c)(i) s. 50(2) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(c)(ii) s. 50(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(d)(i)(aa) s. 50(3) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(d)(i)(bb) s. 50(3)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(d)(ii)(aa) s. 50(3)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(d)(ii)(bb) s. 50(3)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(d)(iii) s. 50(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(12)(e) s. 51(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(a)(i) s. 51(1) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(a)(ii) s. 51(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(b)(i) s. 51(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(b)(ii) s. 51(5) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(c) s. 51(7) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(13)(d) s. 52 amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2009/3157, reg. 11(6) by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 3 para. 12(2)(c)(d) s. 52(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(14)(a) s. 52(2)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(14)(b)(i) s. 52(2)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(14)(b)(ii) s. 52(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(14)(c) s. 53(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(15) s. 53(3) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(15) s. 53(6) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(15) s. 54(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(16) s. 56(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(17) s. 57(2) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(18) s. 58(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(19)(b) s. 58(1)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(19)(a)(i) s. 58(1)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(19)(a)(iii) s. 58(1)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(19)(a)(ii) s. 60(1)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(20) s. 76 amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2009/3157, reg. 11(11) by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 3 para. 12(2)(f) s. 76 heading word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(21)(a) s. 76(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(21)(b) s. 76A heading word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(22)(a) s. 76A words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(22)(b) s. 76A words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(22)(c) s. 77(4) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(23) s. 84 words inserted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(24) s. 85(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(25) Sch. 1 Pt. 6 words inserted by 2021 c. 10 Sch. 6 para. 5 Sch. 1 Pt. 6 words inserted by 2025 c. 28 Sch. 2 para. 23 Sch. 1 Pt. 6 words inserted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(26) Sch. 1 Pt. 6 words omitted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(26) Sch. 1 para. 43A(a) words substituted by 2022 c. 31 Sch. 3 para. 47 Sch. 2 para. 1(1) words inserted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(27) Sch. 3 para. 1 amendment to earlier affecting provision S.I. 2009/3157, reg. 11(9) by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 3 para. 12(2)(e) Sch. 3 para. 1(1) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(i)(bb) Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(a) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(b)(i) Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(b)(ii)(aa) Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(b) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(b)(ii)(bb) Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(c) word substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(b)(iii) Sch. 3 para. 1(1) words inserted by 2003 c. 39 Sch. 4 para. 13 Sch. 3 para. 1(1) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(i)(aa) Sch. 3 para. 1(2) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(ii) Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(b) words substituted by S.I. 2026/386 Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(b)(ii)(cc) Introductory Text Part I Access to information held by public authorities Right to information 1. General right of access to information held by public authorities. 2. Effect of the exemptions in Part II. 3.Public authorities. 4. Amendment of Schedule 1. 5. Further power to designate public authorities. 6. Publicly-owned companies. 7. Public authorities to which Act has limited application. 8. Request for information. 9. Fees. 10. Time for compliance with request. 11. Means by which communication…