Do I pay to make an FOI or EIR request?

No routine fee is required to submit a request; charges for copying or disbursements may apply in limited circumstances and are addressed case-by-case on council guidance.

How long will the council take to reply?

Standard reply time is 20 working days for both FOI and EIR requests, subject to limited exceptions in the statutes and regulations.

What if my request is refused?

Ask for an internal review, then complain to the Information Commissioner and consider tribunal appeal if eligible.

FOI vs EIR Requests - 20 Working Days Manchester

Labor and Employment England 4 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026

Manchester, England residents and businesses often need to know whether to use a Freedom of Information (FOI) request or an Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) request when seeking records from Manchester City Council. This guide explains the 20 working-day deadlines, how to choose FOI or EIR, where to submit requests to the council, and the practical steps if you do not receive a response. It focuses on official sources and local procedures to help you act quickly and to preserve appeal rights.

When to use FOI or EIR

Choose EIR when the information requested is environmental in nature (air, water, noise, land, emissions, policies or decisions directly affecting the environment). Use FOI for other recorded information held by the council. Time limits differ by regime but both provide a 20 working-day standard response period in the statutes and regulations cited below. For local submission routes see the council guidance linked in Applications & Forms.

Tip: If your request covers both environmental and non-environmental records, state clearly you are making an EIR request for the environmental elements to preserve the EIR deadline.

Penalties & Enforcement

Monetary fines for failing to respond within the statutory timescale are not specified on the cited pages for FOI or EIR; enforcement commonly follows administrative remedies rather than fixed local fines. The primary enforcement remedies are formal decision or enforcement notices, requirement to disclose, and judicial review or court action where statutory notices are not followed. The council is the responding authority and complaints pathways include internal review, then complaint to the Information Commissioner and further appeal to the tribunal system where available.

Standard deadline: 20 working days for FOI requests as set out in the FOI statute.FOIA s.10^[2]
Standard deadline: 20 working days for EIR requests under regulation 5 of the EIRs.EIR reg.5^[3]
Escalation: initial internal review by the council, then complaint to the Information Commissioner, then First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) where applicable; specific time limits for appeals are set by the receiving body or tribunal and are not specified on the cited page.
Fines/penalties: not specified on the cited Manchester or statute pages; enforcement normally uses notices and orders rather than fixed local fines.
Non-monetary sanctions: decision notices, enforcement notices, orders to disclose, and potential court enforcement; exact remedies are described by the regulator and legislation.

If you miss the 20 working-day deadline, preserve copies of your request and any council replies before seeking an internal review or ICO complaint.

Applications & Forms

Use Manchester City Council's official Freedom of Information and environmental information request pathways to submit requests and find contact details and guidance on how to frame requests and request formats. The council provides an online request route and contact details on its Freedom of Information pages.Manchester FOI pages^[1]

How to submit: online form or written request to the addresses on the council FOI page.
Deadline to respond: 20 working days from receipt for standard requests under FOI and EIR (exceptions may apply).
Contact: use the council contact and complaint pages listed under Help and Support / Resources below for front-line assistance.

Requests should be clear and reasonably scoped to avoid refusal on grounds of excessive cost or inability to locate records.

How-To

Decide whether the information is environmental (use EIR) or other recorded information (use FOI).
Draft a clear request with dates, subject, and format desired; include contact details and a statement that you are making an FOI or EIR request as appropriate.
Submit via the Manchester City Council online form or postal address on the council FOI page.Submit to Manchester Council
Track the 20 working-day response period and note the receipt date; for FOI see the statutory timeframe.FOIA s.10^[2]
If no response or unsatisfactory response, request an internal review, then complain to the Information Commissioner and consider tribunal appeal for unresolved disputes; environmental requests are subject to the EIR timescale.EIR reg.5^[3]

Keep copies of all correspondence and note exact dates to preserve appeal rights and timelines.

FAQ

Do I pay to make an FOI or EIR request?: No routine fee is required to submit a request; charges for copying or disbursements may apply in limited circumstances and are addressed case-by-case on council guidance.
How long will the council take to reply?: Standard reply time is 20 working days for both FOI and EIR requests, subject to limited exceptions in the statutes and regulations.
What if my request is refused?: You should ask for an internal review, then you may complain to the Information Commissioner and, if eligible, appeal to the tribunal system.

Key Takeaways

Both FOI and EIR use a 20 working-day standard deadline in statute or regulation.
Use EIR for environmental information and FOI for other records held by Manchester City Council.