Qualified exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 2000: public interest test, class versus prejudice exemptions, key sections and case law

Published by a LexisNexis Public Law expert

Practice notes

In brief

A public authority is not obliged to respond to a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FIA 2000) if any of the following apply:

the anticipated cost would surpass the appropriate limit
the request is vexatious
the request is repeated
an exemption applies

The FIA 2000 includes a range of exemptions allowing an authority to withhold the information sought. These broadly fall into two groups:

absolute exemptions
qualified exemptions, which are subject to a public interest test

When managing a request—even where an exemption is engaged—an authority must still meet its duty to offer advice and assistance, so far as it is reasonable. Therefore, even if material is considered exempt, the authority should do more than send a refusal notice and should also think about what additional help can be given to the applicant.

This Practice Note concentrates on qualified exemptions. For more on absolute exemptions, see the Practice Note: Absolute exemptions to a freedom of information request. For guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), see the ICO Guidance Index.

Qualified exemptions

Qualified exemptions can relate...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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