ICO reports 40% surge in FOI complaints

Publishing its Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2025/26, the regulator said it received more than 10,000 FOI complaints during the year, reflecting growing demand for access to information despite many public authorities facing continuing resource pressures.

The ICO said it recognised that increasing request volumes were "not necessarily being met with more resources" and had expanded its support for FOI practitioners through newsletters, webinars, self-service resources and sector-specific guidance. It also published new advice on the use of disclosure platforms to help authorities manage requests more effectively.

The number of data protection complaints also rose significantly, increasing from around 42,300 in 2024/25 to 76,700 in 2025/26.

This change “reflects a significant and sustained increase in demand for our services”, the report said.

Several key performance indicators relating to data protection complaints were rated “red” in the report. This included data showing the watchdog assessed and responded to just 27.4% of complaints within 90 days, well below its target of 80%.

The proportion of complaints handled within six months meanwhile dropped from 98% in 2024/25 to 69% in 2025/26.

Elsewhere, the report highlighted a continued increase in the regulator's use of formal enforcement powers.

The ICO said it had taken more enforcement action under the Freedom of Information Act over the past three years than during the Act's entire previous lifetime. Since introducing its FOI and Transparency Regulatory Manual in 2022, it has issued 24 enforcement notices and 36 practice recommendations.

During 2025/26, the regulator issued eight enforcement notices addressing backlogs affecting almost 2,500 information requests.

The report comes amid a period of transition for the ICO, after its commissioner John Edwards resigned in June following allegations of inappropriate humour. The watchdog is also undergoing structural changes, moving from a commissioner-led model to a board-led approach.

Paul Arnold was appointed as the ICO's first chief executive officer in June last year as part of the restructure and has since taken on the responsibilities of the Information Commissioner following Edwards' departure.

In the report's foreword, Arnold said: "As we transition to the new Information Commission, we are stepping into a new era, and this report sets out the work that has laid the foundations for what comes next."

He said the new Information Commission will bring "greater governance resilience and broader strategic leadership", adding: "Our priorities and our focus remains, as always, on the areas which make the greatest difference to people’s lives. This is what guides our efforts and the Information Commission will continue to champion people’s information rights.”

Adam Carey