Freedom of Information
These pages tell you how to request information from us under Freedom of Information. There is also information on making a subject access request under the Data Protection Act.
They also explain our publication scheme and allow you to view information released under the Act.
Requesting information
Along with answering requests on an individual basis, we disclose much of our recorded information free of charge through our publication scheme.
If you would like to request information under the Freedom of Information Act please write to us at:
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Act Compliance Manager
Third Floor
1 City Walk
Leeds
LS119DA
Alternatively you can email your request to FOI@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk
Please be specific about the information you want, as this will help us to find it for you.
Much of our work is done through the network of official receivers’ offices in England and Wales. Official receivers are employees of The Service but the work they do; administering bankruptcy orders, debt relief orders and company winding-up orders, as well as acting as trustees in bankruptcy and company liquidators; is done under the control of the court and provisions of insolvency legislation. The official receiver is a “statutory office holder” and not a public body and as a consequence of that, the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to the individual case work of the official receiver.
You can make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act if you want to know what information an official receiver holds about you. Click to view our publication Data Protection Act and The Insolvency Service for further information.
Please note that it is Insolvency Service policy to issue all refusal notices and reviews by post. Where this is not possible, letters will be emailed to you as attachments in the PDF format. This policy also applies to any response issued in reply to a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act.
The Freedom of Information Act allows greater flexibility in the form of any response and email responses may be considered dependant on the scope and nature of their content.
Complaints
If you are dissatisfied about the way The Insolvency Service has handled a request for information you should initially contact the person who responded to your request to see if the matter can be resolved.
If you remain dissatisfied, details of how to make a formal complaint are provided in our leaflet ‘Complaints Procedure (DOC, 2.2 Mb) ’, which is also available from any Insolvency Service office.
Anyone who remains unsatisfied with the outcome of a review may apply to the Information Commissioner, who enforces and oversees the Freedom of Information Act. If you wish to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner he may be contacted by writing to: ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
