Data councils don't volunteer
Freedom of Information requests we file and publish in full. Covers data that councils are legally required to release but don't routinely put on their websites.
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Responses published
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Requests pending
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Requests queued
Archive opens soon
We're filing our first batch of FOI requests now. Responses and raw data files will appear here as they come back — usually within 20 working days of filing.
Why do this?
There are things councils legally must release but don't publish proactively — Household Support Fund recipient lists, employer pension contributions, SEND transport costs per provider, councillor expense claims by individual journey. We ask for them, wait 20 working days, and publish whatever comes back.
Every response gets a stable URL so journalists, researchers and AI assistants can cite it. The raw files (CSV/PDF) are served straight off /foi/[slug].csv.
Queued to file
What we plan to ask for next. Suggestions welcome via the feedback form.
Household Support Fund 2024-25 and 2025-26 recipient list
Councils receive ~£500m/yr from MHCLG for HSF but most do not publish recipient-level breakdowns. The 8 councils blocked on grant_payments all benefit from this.
Target: All 317 councils (batch by council type)
Senior officer pension employer contributions 2024-25
Pay Policy Statements publish base salary but rarely the employer pension contribution. Real total remuneration is typically 20-30% higher than published figures.
Target: All 317 councils
SEND home-to-school transport cost per child, by provider
County councils report SEND transport as a single spend line. Request provider-level breakdown and per-child costs — a major service budget pressure.
Target: 21 county councils + 63 unitaries providing education
Councillor taxi, train and mileage claims 2024-25
Allowances schemes publish totals but not claim-level detail. FOI can extract individual journeys — a strong journalism hook.
Target: High-allowance councils (top 50 by total_allowances_cost)
Agency-staff and interim-officer spend 2024-25
Many councils rely on agency staff during recruitment gaps. These do not appear in salary_bands. Total agency spend is a hidden cost pressure.
Target: All 317 councils
Full supplier list for councils where top_suppliers < 10
116 councils have fewer than 20 suppliers published. FOI requests for the 'payments over £500' register for a full year would fill this gap directly.
Target: Top 50 thinnest: see /developers for the list
How to cite a response
Each response has a stable URL under /foi/[slug]. The raw file is an equally stable URL you can link to directly (/foi/[slug].csv etc.) — please link to it, don't rehost.