Claire Miller
@clairemiller.bsky.social
Data journalist, maths geek, feminist, responsible for a lot of the ICO's FOI caseload.
clairemiller.net
clairemiller.net
Reposted by Claire Miller
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
Reposted by Claire Miller
The two child cap is a test of the government’s seriousness: if you are serious about child poverty, you lift it, and if you are serious about not wasting money, you don’t fritter away cash on dumb things like vouchers to try and manage the PLP.
If the government chooses to keep the 2 child limit and spend money on vouchers and parenting programmes instead, child poverty will rise and this will be a conscious and deliberate political choice in defiance of all the evidence
Scrapping the cap entirely is both good policy *and* good politics.
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Half measures will "save" some money short-term, but will piss *everybody* off and still leave very large numbers of children suffering from a policy designed to make them poorer.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
November 10, 2025 at 12:59 PM
The two child cap is a test of the government’s seriousness: if you are serious about child poverty, you lift it, and if you are serious about not wasting money, you don’t fritter away cash on dumb things like vouchers to try and manage the PLP.
Public interest is a powerful thing for #FOI.
A decision notice shows how being able to share information about what public bodies doing can outweigh issues sharing it might cause:
A decision notice shows how being able to share information about what public bodies doing can outweigh issues sharing it might cause:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 7/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Public interest is a powerful thing for Freedom of Information. A decision notice from this week shows how the importance of the public being able to find out information about public bodies outweighs potential damage to those public bodies. In May 2023, Wirral councillors decided to purchase the Pyramids and Grange shopping centres in Birkenhead for £10.5m
clairemiller.net
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Public interest is a powerful thing for #FOI.
A decision notice shows how being able to share information about what public bodies doing can outweigh issues sharing it might cause:
A decision notice shows how being able to share information about what public bodies doing can outweigh issues sharing it might cause:
#FOI can cover information ranging from murders in 1943 to cyberattacks and drone crashes.
Oh, and whisky:
Oh, and whisky:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 7/11/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Public interest is a powerful thing for Freedom of Information. A decision notice from this week shows how the importance of the public being able to find out information about public bodies outweighs potential damage to those public bodies. In May 2023, Wirral councillors decided to purchase the Pyramids and Grange shopping centres in Birkenhead for £10.5m
clairemiller.net
November 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
#FOI can cover information ranging from murders in 1943 to cyberattacks and drone crashes.
Oh, and whisky:
Oh, and whisky:
At #CIJCardiff and I’m enjoying @jennacorderoy.bsky.social’s experiments with AI for writing #FOI. It seems to have ingested all of the annoying boilerplate text you should probably avoid in your requests!
November 7, 2025 at 12:18 PM
At #CIJCardiff and I’m enjoying @jennacorderoy.bsky.social’s experiments with AI for writing #FOI. It seems to have ingested all of the annoying boilerplate text you should probably avoid in your requests!
#FOI question of the week: is information about a cupboard personal data?
That, and other vital FOI related bits and bobs...
That, and other vital FOI related bits and bobs...
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 1/11/2024 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
FOI question of the week via Tim Turner: is information about a cupboard personal data? Background: The Sunday Times, back in 2022, reported on a custom built wardrobe placed in the No 10 chief-of-staff’s office. As happens when things get bought, someone sent an FOI asking for the cost and information about the make/brand. The
clairemiller.net
November 6, 2025 at 10:18 AM
#FOI question of the week: is information about a cupboard personal data?
That, and other vital FOI related bits and bobs...
That, and other vital FOI related bits and bobs...
Are Freedom of Information responsibilities getting harder to dodge? The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been taking FOI enforcement action […]
The post Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10...
The post Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10...
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Are Freedom of Information responsibilities getting harder to dodge? The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has been taking FOI enforcement action again. It has issued Practice Recommendations to most of the Northern Ireland government departments. Earlier this year, the ICO assessed all nine departments and found problems with eight. Only the Department of Communities escaped a
clairemiller.net
November 3, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Are Freedom of Information responsibilities getting harder to dodge? The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been taking FOI enforcement action […]
The post Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10...
The post Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10...
A Halloween treat! A round-up of #FOI stories including a couple of spooky (or at least Halloween-related ones):
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 31/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Are Freedom of Information responsibilities getting harder to dodge? The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has been taking FOI enforcement action again. It has issued Practice Recommendations to most of the Northern Ireland government departments. Earlier this year, the ICO assessed all nine departments and found problems with eight. Only the Department of Communities escaped a
clairemiller.net
October 31, 2025 at 12:57 PM
A Halloween treat! A round-up of #FOI stories including a couple of spooky (or at least Halloween-related ones):
Reform's claims about the terrible state of Derbyshire's roads may have overstated the pothole problem.
And an #FOI response misunderstanding seems to be to blame:
And an #FOI response misunderstanding seems to be to blame:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 29, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Reform's claims about the terrible state of Derbyshire's roads may have overstated the pothole problem.
And an #FOI response misunderstanding seems to be to blame:
And an #FOI response misunderstanding seems to be to blame:
Potentially deadly 'incidents' involving medication errors or near misses and children in Glasgow hospitals are being reported once every day and a half, #FOI has revealed.
https://clairemiller.net/2025/10/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-24-10-2025-foifriday/\
https://clairemiller.net/2025/10/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-24-10-2025-foifriday/\
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 28, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Potentially deadly 'incidents' involving medication errors or near misses and children in Glasgow hospitals are being reported once every day and a half, #FOI has revealed.
https://clairemiller.net/2025/10/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-24-10-2025-foifriday/\
https://clairemiller.net/2025/10/freedom-of-information-in-the-news-week-ending-24-10-2025-foifriday/\
What's the world record for #FOI request making?
So far 17 in four hours.
Unless anyone can claim to have beaten that.
So far 17 in four hours.
Unless anyone can claim to have beaten that.
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 28, 2025 at 8:12 AM
What's the world record for #FOI request making?
So far 17 in four hours.
Unless anyone can claim to have beaten that.
So far 17 in four hours.
Unless anyone can claim to have beaten that.
Two #FOI requests this week showing the waits for children for ADHD and autism assessments in Wales and Scotland are very long:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 27, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Two #FOI requests this week showing the waits for children for ADHD and autism assessments in Wales and Scotland are very long:
Instead of buying your overdue #FOI request a 4th birthday card, complain to the ICO about it.
Because it actually works.
Because it actually works.
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 27, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Instead of buying your overdue #FOI request a 4th birthday card, complain to the ICO about it.
Because it actually works.
Because it actually works.
Reposted by Claire Miller
The select committee report on the asylum hotel shambles highlights a point I made repeatedly - the absurd gimicks pursued by the last govt like Rwanda took resources away from running the actual system properly.
October 27, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The select committee report on the asylum hotel shambles highlights a point I made repeatedly - the absurd gimicks pursued by the last govt like Rwanda took resources away from running the actual system properly.
Bless the AA, but I'm not sure drivers are parking on double yellows because of a lack of other options.
UK motorists were hit with 1.6 million fines for illegally parking on yellow lines in 2024:
UK motorists were hit with 1.6 million fines for illegally parking on yellow lines in 2024:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Bless the AA, but I'm not sure drivers are parking on double yellows because of a lack of other options.
UK motorists were hit with 1.6 million fines for illegally parking on yellow lines in 2024:
UK motorists were hit with 1.6 million fines for illegally parking on yellow lines in 2024:
#FOI shows a rise in prison staff dismissed for misconduct from 181 in 2022 to 397 in 2024.
This includes prison officers smuggling contraband into jails or having sexual relationships with inmates
This includes prison officers smuggling contraband into jails or having sexual relationships with inmates
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 26, 2025 at 8:20 AM
#FOI shows a rise in prison staff dismissed for misconduct from 181 in 2022 to 397 in 2024.
This includes prison officers smuggling contraband into jails or having sexual relationships with inmates
This includes prison officers smuggling contraband into jails or having sexual relationships with inmates
Sometimes information you don't expect to be collected may be held by public bodies.
West Ham fans organising a boycott want evidence match attendance is down, and they're using #FOI to check:
West Ham fans organising a boycott want evidence match attendance is down, and they're using #FOI to check:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 25, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Sometimes information you don't expect to be collected may be held by public bodies.
West Ham fans organising a boycott want evidence match attendance is down, and they're using #FOI to check:
West Ham fans organising a boycott want evidence match attendance is down, and they're using #FOI to check:
Reposted by Claire Miller
'Should they move left blah blah, no they need to worry about Reform blah blah' - this stuff is babytalk, they are the government, they need to worry about persistent inflation, poor public services and our exposed public finances:
Starmer needs to get serious about governing — and quick
The prime minister has to change or his party will seek a change of its own
www.ft.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
'Should they move left blah blah, no they need to worry about Reform blah blah' - this stuff is babytalk, they are the government, they need to worry about persistent inflation, poor public services and our exposed public finances:
The Government's push to bring more train companies into public ownership means more train companies that have to answer #FOI requests.
So how much money is lost to fare dodgers:
So how much money is lost to fare dodgers:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 25, 2025 at 6:31 AM
The Government's push to bring more train companies into public ownership means more train companies that have to answer #FOI requests.
So how much money is lost to fare dodgers:
So how much money is lost to fare dodgers:
Who do you ask about football match attendance? When are there actually fewer potholes than expected? What is the world record for requests sent?
Answers in this week's #FOI round-up:
Answers in this week's #FOI round-up:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 24/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Complain to the ICO about your overdue Freedom of Information request! Because it actually works. A man who waited four years to get an answer to a Freedom of Information request from his local council described the delay as a "lack of accountability". Kevin Robinson-Hale asked what he said was a "simple" set of questions
clairemiller.net
October 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Who do you ask about football match attendance? When are there actually fewer potholes than expected? What is the world record for requests sent?
Answers in this week's #FOI round-up:
Answers in this week's #FOI round-up:
Reposted by Claire Miller
A moth got into the shelter tonight and it was the event of the season.
October 24, 2025 at 1:03 AM
A moth got into the shelter tonight and it was the event of the season.
Some #FOI ideas will potentially work anywhere – how long have those annoying roadworks been going on? Where are the shared houses in your city?
Other ideas can be adapted to other public bodies...
Other ideas can be adapted to other public bodies...
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 5/4/2024 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Some FOI request ideas will potentially work anywhere - just how long have those roadworks driving everyone round the bend actually been going on? Where are you most likely to find shared houses in your city? Some ideas could be adapted to different public bodies - what's been lost or stolen (laptops, vehicles, etc.) or
clairemiller.net
October 23, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Some #FOI ideas will potentially work anywhere – how long have those annoying roadworks been going on? Where are the shared houses in your city?
Other ideas can be adapted to other public bodies...
Other ideas can be adapted to other public bodies...
#FOI reveals a shortage of accommodation at Cambridge Uni.
One Hughes Hall PGCE student was placed 120th on a waitlist and turned to private rentals, paying more than £100 more per month.
One Hughes Hall PGCE student was placed 120th on a waitlist and turned to private rentals, paying more than £100 more per month.
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 17/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Is there a world record for sending Freedom of Information requests? Crikey News wants to see how many requests it can make in a day - to try and get in before the Australian Government makes it harder to do. More locally, another council has been given an enforcement notice for poor FOI performance. This
clairemiller.net
October 22, 2025 at 4:10 PM
#FOI reveals a shortage of accommodation at Cambridge Uni.
One Hughes Hall PGCE student was placed 120th on a waitlist and turned to private rentals, paying more than £100 more per month.
One Hughes Hall PGCE student was placed 120th on a waitlist and turned to private rentals, paying more than £100 more per month.
If you're leading with something having the highest rate, I want to read the rates in the story.
Couple of #FOI stories this week getting the data but it hasn't quite made it into publication:
Couple of #FOI stories this week getting the data but it hasn't quite made it into publication:
Freedom of Information in the news – week ending 17/10/2025 – #FOIFriday - Words + Numbers
Is there a world record for sending Freedom of Information requests? Crikey News wants to see how many requests it can make in a day - to try and get in before the Australian Government makes it harder to do. More locally, another council has been given an enforcement notice for poor FOI performance. This
clairemiller.net
October 22, 2025 at 10:23 AM
If you're leading with something having the highest rate, I want to read the rates in the story.
Couple of #FOI stories this week getting the data but it hasn't quite made it into publication:
Couple of #FOI stories this week getting the data but it hasn't quite made it into publication: