Cost of adverts about Universal Credit

The request was partially successful.

Alexander Tiffin

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

I am writing to request what the total cost is estimated to be or, has been agreed for your recent and ongoing campaign regarding Debunking Universal Credit myths.

This includes but is NOT limited to

1)The total amount payable to The Metro Newspaper for the wraparound advertisement and nine weeks advertorials.

2) The total cost payable OR set aside for any online adverts such as the one that has appeared on the Mail Online.

3)The total cost paid to any agency for running this campaign.

4) Any further costs involved with the campaign.

Should you deem it too costly please limit it to points 1 & 2. However, all costs should be readily available do this is unlikely.
You have set a precedent on revealing advertising costs when you revealed the amount you paid to the production company of Gogglebox.

Given the high profile of the campaign, it also passes the public interest test as there is a lot interest.

Yours faithfully,

Alexander Tiffin

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.
 
By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Email FOI responses will be issued from [1][email address]
We recommend that you add this address to your email contacts otherwise
the response may be treated as Spam or Junk mail.  
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
[2]http://www.gov.uk/dwp
 
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.gov.uk/dwp

Alexander Tiffin

Dear DWP freedom-of-information-requests,

Can you please confirm that you will be providing a response to this request by the deadline tomorrow?

Amber Rudd has stated the amount will be released after the campaign ends. However, as a FOI has been put in, she has stated it will be released I believe it will be difficult for you to delay this.

Furthermore, should you be attempting to delay this request, I will write to the ICO and inform them of this.

Details that are requested should be released within the required timeframe, not when it's convenient to the department in question.

As Ms Rudd has stated it will be released, I see no reason that you can deny this request now.

Yours sincerely,

Alexander Tiffin

no-reply@dwp.ecase.co.uk on behalf of DWP CAXTON HOUSE Communications, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Alexander Tiffin,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 2nd
June.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

Alexander Tiffin

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Cost of adverts about Universal Credit'.

You state that it will be published at a future date but do not give that date as would normally be required under this exemption. Previous FOI cases handled by the ICO do not consider a vague timeframe acceptable. Therefore, I ask you reconsider this as this campaign is of extreme public interest. Furthermore, you will have a projected spend as the Metro have confirmed they use fixed prices for advertising and advertorials. In light of this you will have an approximate figure and also will have budgeted for it.

On point 2. You say that it will harm commercial interests. However, you have set a precedent by disclosing advertising costs before such as: Facebook campaigns, the Gogglebox campaign and radio advertising costs. The taxpayer and stakeholders have a right to know how much public money is being spent on advertising costs

In light of this, I ask you to reconsider publishing the overall projected cost or, the total spend to date on online advertising. The public interest far outweighs the commercial interest clause.

As you have stated that department staff acted as agents, this will also have a cost attached to it. The NAO report shows that everything is costed. Therefore, how much was spent on department staff who have been engaged on this campaign? Where they seconded from another role?

I look forward to a speedy response and, as before, I Will be publishing this request online due to the high public interest.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Alexander Tiffin

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.
 
By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Email FOI responses will be issued from [1][email address]
We recommend that you add this address to your email contacts otherwise
the response may be treated as Spam or Junk mail.  
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
[2]http://www.gov.uk/dwp
 
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.gov.uk/dwp

John Slater left an annotation ()

Hi Alex,
The DWP response does not comply with the FOIA. It's refusal does not cover everything that it is required to. I suggest you read the following & complain to the ICO when you get the DWP reply to your IRR:
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

Alexander Tiffin

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Cost of adverts about Universal Credit'.

You have gone over the 20 working days in responding to this please can you update me?

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Alexander Tiffin

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.
 
By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 
 
If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.
 
Email FOI responses will be issued from [1][email address]
We recommend that you add this address to your email contacts otherwise
the response may be treated as Spam or Junk mail.  
 
Should you have any further queries in connection with this request do
please contact us.
 
[2]http://www.gov.uk/dwp
 
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.gov.uk/dwp

no-reply@dwp.ecase.co.uk on behalf of DWP CAXTON HOUSE Communications, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Alexander Tiffin,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 28th
June.

Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team