Making a private Freedom of Information request to DWP

Recognising a Request

Under Freedom of Information (FoI), requests for information must:
 be in writing
 in permanent form (including e-mail and faxes)
 state the name of the applicant
 state an address for correspondence (an e-mail address would be acceptable)
 describe the information requested.
The request may be for any information that the department holds and may be received in any
part of the department, via post, email, fax or by hand. It is important therefore that all staff
are able to recognise such a request and that post opening teams identify FoI requests
quickly and then direct them to the relevant information owner as soon as possible.
The Freedom of Information Act is ‘purpose blind’, meaning that applicants do not have to
provide a reason for their request. Please see our guidance on Vexatious Requests and
Persistent Issue Writers for further advice.
Requests for information received over the telephone are not FoI requests, even if the
Act is quoted.
If the request is not made in a permanent written format neither you nor the applicant can
refer back to the request to ensure that it has been properly met. This is particularly important
if the applicant is not satisfied with the way a request has been handled. Therefore if someone
asks for information and wants FoI obligations to kick in they should put their request in
writing.
However this does not mean that you should no longer respond to telephone requests
for information which are part of your everyday routine business, you should continue to
handle these enquiries as you always have done.
If the request is for personal information about the applicant it falls out of FoI provisions and is
instead handled under Data Protection Act (DPA) guidelines. Information about the interface
between the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts and what to do if you receive a
request for personal information under FOI can be found here.
However only certain requests are formally treated as FoI requests that fall into the FoI
regime and need to be monitored as such – see Reporting FoI requests.
Remember: we only have 20 working days from date of receipt anywhere in the
Department in which to respond.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/526815/response/1283209/attach/html/2/FOI%20Guidance%2021Nov2018.pdf.html



Make a Freedom of Information request

Use this form to ask the Cabinet Office and GOV.UK for all the recorded information they have on any subject.

Find out how to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to other government departments or organisations, or search through previous FOI responses.

https://www.gov.uk/contact/foi


Asking your work coach to pass on your request may make them think twice if you disagree with any advice or decision made.

You should be able to use your Universal Credit Journal to submit an FOI request and you can make a request via email
to freedom-of-information-request@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

or post to

DWP
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
United Kingdom


It would also be worth searching
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/dwp

to see if the information you want has already been disclosed. Even if the information already exists on https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/dwp there is
no harm asking your 'coach' for it (in writing) as:

"may make them think twice if you disagree with any advice or decision made"

If you ask your 'coach' to forward your foi request, your disclosure may be sent through the post as a printed
document, unless you request an electronic version which could be provided on a CD/DVD
https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/how-to-make-an-foi-request

"You can ask for information in a particular format, such as:

   paper or electronic copies of information
   audio format
   large print"
https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/how-to-make-an-foi-request

Can FOI requests be made under a pseudonym?

There are several good alternatives to using a pseudonym.

Use a different form of your name. The guidance says that “Mr Arthur Thomas Roberts” can make a valid request as “Arthur Roberts”, “A. T. Roberts”, or “Mr Roberts”, but not as “Arthur” or “A.T.R.”.
Women may use their maiden name.
In most cases, you may use any name by which you are “widely known and/or is regularly used”.
Use the name of an organisation, the name of a company, the trading name of a company, or the trading name of a sole trader.
Ask someone else to make the request on your behalf.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/privacy#real_name