Department For Education (DFE)
- Date 9 January 2026
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) FOI 12(1): Not upheld, FOI 16(1): Not upheld, FOI 17(5): Not upheld, FOI 35(1)(a): Not upheld, FOI 17(1): Upheld
The complainant requested information about the Working Parent Entitlement. The Department for Education (DfE) withheld the information it had identified under sections 35, 40 and 42 of FOIA. These exemptions concern policy formulation, personal data and legal professional privilege, respectively. DfE also applied section 12 of FOIA to a related request the complainant also submitted. That exemption concerns the cost of compliance. The Commissioner’s decision is that sections 35(1)(a) and 12(1) are engaged. There was no breach of section 16(1) (advice and assistance) or section 17(5) (refusal of request) but there was a breach of section 17(1) in respect of timeliness. It’s not necessary for DfE to take any steps.