ONS Tells FOI Requester to Use Internal Review Route Before Going to Information Commissioner

The ONS posted the reply publicly on social media, telling the requester they have the right to challenge how their request was handled through an internal review before escalating to the statutory regulator. The tweet does not disclose what information was originally sought, so the subject matter of the underlying FOI request cannot be confirmed.

The process the ONS is describing is standard under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. According to ICO guidance, internal review requests should be made in writing within 40 working days of the initial response. Public authorities are expected to complete those reviews within 20 working days — though in exceptional circumstances that can stretch to 40 working days.

The ICO acts as the independent regulator and final complaint route. It can consider whether the public authority applied any exemptions correctly and whether the request was handled properly.

For Kent residents, the practical point is straightforward: if you’ve received an ONS FOI response you’re unhappy with, an internal review comes before any ICO complaint.

Because the tweet is a case-specific procedural reply rather than a policy announcement, it contains no economic data — despite the ONS being the national authority for economic and social statistics. The original information request that prompted the exchange remains unknown from the post alone.

Key information

• To request an internal review of an ONS FOI response, email FOI.Team@ons.gov.uk
• Internal review requests must be made within 40 working days of the original response
• Reviews are normally completed within 20 working days, or up to 40 working days in exceptional cases
• If still dissatisfied after an internal review, complaints can be made to the Information Commissioner’s Office