Subject Access Request (SAR)

Requesting information under the freedom of information act

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You have a right to request any recorded information held by a public authority, such as a government department, local council or state school. Environmental information requests can also be made to certain non-public bodies carrying out a public function.

you can request information from the council. the court your doctor, the hospital.

Below is a template that you may use to make your request for information.

Name

Your street address

Your town

Your postcode

 Dated:

Re: Your Child’s / children’s name/s here

 Dear name the addressee,

I am herein making a Subject Access Request for any and all information held that concerns either myself and or my child/ren named Your Child’s name. As you will be aware I am lawfully entitled to this information under both the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

This full disclosure should include but not be limited to all telephone records and logs, all official or clinical records, all case notes, all minutes of meetings and conferences, all personal notes, all emails, correspondence and text messages both to and from any private individuals or agencies, any photographic or audiovisual materials or recordings, any referrals and the responses, any statements or submissions gathered in evidence and any miscellaneous materials. Disclosure should be full and not partial.

You have a standard forty-day deadline in which to comply. In the sad event that full compliance is not given, I will have no alternative other than to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office for enforcement and there may be legal penalties associated with this. In addition, I will explore legal remedies to sue you for causing foreseeable harm to myself and the Child in breach of your statutory duty of care and in violation of the Rights of the Child. LET THIS DOCUMENT SERVE AS LEGAL NOTICE.

In addition, I also require a satisfactory explanation of why you have refused to share such information as required by law. Please explain fully why you consider some parents to be more equal than others. To this end I attach under same cover the sum of ten pounds to cover the costs of data retrieval.

I thank you in early anticipation of your fullest compliance in this matter.

Yours respectfully

 

Your name


 

For your request to be dealt with according to the Freedom of Information Act, you must:

  • contact the relevant authority directly;

  • make the request in writing, for example in a letter or an email. You can make a verbal or written request for environmental information;

  • give your real name; and

  • give an address to which the authority can reply. This can be a postal or email address.

 Write the date on any letters or emails you send and keep a copy, so you have a reliable record of your request. 

The authority must reply to you within 20 working days. It may:

  • give you the information you’ve asked for;

  • tell you it doesn’t have the information;

  • tell you that another authority holds the information or transfer the request on your behalf;

    You can complain if a public authority refuses your request or If you are dissatisfied with the way it has been dealt with.

    You should first complain to the authority and ask it to conduct an internal review. For freedom of information you will need to do this as soon as possible and within two months of receiving the authority’s final response

    You should make your complaint within 40 working days.

    If they fail to comply further you can contact the ICO. ( The Information Commissioner’s Office)

    The Information Commissioner’s Office recommends that public authorities carry out internal reviews within 20 working days. The authority cannot charge for carrying out an internal review.

    If you believe that the public authority has not dealt with your complaint properly, or if it does not have a complaints procedure, The ICO may be able to help click here.

To request your information from the high court under the freedom of information act

you may use the below address to request

Disclosure Team 
Ministry of Justice 
102 Petty France  
London 
 
SW1H 9AJ