DWP Central Freedom of
Information Team
Caxton House
6-12 Tothil Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Cassian Lodge
freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
DWP Website
Our Ref: FOI2023/41320
14 June 2023
Dear Cassian Lodge,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 27 May. You wrote:
“The DWP is responsible for a building in my town that is currently empty. There is a
local non-profit CIC that would like to rent the building.
1. To whom should the CIC speak to find out about whether this is possible?
2. What are the DWP's policies in relation to unused assets such as empty buildings?”
DWP Response
We confirm that we do hold the information you have requested.
A copy of the information is provided below.
1. You should go via Cushman & Wakefield’s helpdesk -
xxx.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
2. Policy is to divest at the earliest opportunity, either at lease expiry or by taking advantage
of a lease break. If there are no breaks and the expiry is a few years into the future then
we’d try and negotiate an early surrender of the lease with our landlord and investigate if
there were opportunities for either other Government departments to use or sublets to
commercial parties, up to lease expiry when we’d divest.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact us quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Department for Work and Pensions
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
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If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to: DWP Central FoI Team, Caxton
House, 6-12 Tothil Street, London, SW1H 9NA.
Any request for an internal review must be received by us within 40 working days of the date
of this letter. Please note we are not obliged to provide a review if it is requested after more
than 40 working days.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you may apply directly to the
Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. General y, the Commissioner cannot make
a decision unless you have exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Website: ICO FOI and EIR complaints or telephone 0303 123 1113
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