WhatDoTheyKnow Statistics

Here you can see how well public bodies have responded to requests on WhatDoTheyKnow and meet the people most actively using it. You can also find statistics about requests over time.

Public Bodies

This section on public body statistics is currently experimental, so there are some caveats that should be borne in mind:

  • The percentages are calculated with respect to the total number of requests, which includes invalid requests; this is a known problem that will be fixed in a later release.
  • The classification of requests (e.g. to say whether they were successful or not) is done manually by users and administrators of the site, which means that they are subject to error.
  • Requests are considered successful if they were classified as either 'Successful' or 'Partially Successful'.
  • Requests are considered overdue if they are in the 'Overdue' or 'Very Overdue' states.
  • The error bars shown are 95% confidence intervals for the hypothesized underlying proportion (i.e. that which you would obtain by making an infinite number of requests through this site to that authority). In other words, the population being sampled is all the current and future requests to the authority through this site, rather than, say, all requests that have been made to the public body by any means.
  • Hidden requests are not counted. Unclassified requests do not count towards the percentages.

These graphs were partly inspired by some statistics that Mark Goodge produced for WhatDoTheyKnow, so thanks are due to him.

Public bodies with the most requests

Public Body Number of requests
British Broadcasting Corporation 3525
Department of Health and Social Care 3540
Brighton and Hove City Council 4453
Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) 4549
Department for Education 4721
Ministry of Justice 5090
Transport for London 6158
Ministry of Defence 6284
Department for Work and Pensions 11477
Home Office 12640

Public bodies with the most successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 92
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service 92
University St Mark and St John, Plymouth 93
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service 94
Harper Adams University 94
Brunel University 94
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service 95
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service 95
Royal Agricultural University 98
Arts University Bournemouth 98

Public bodies with the fewest successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
mySociety Test Quango 1
National Crime Agency 3
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs 7
Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 12
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 13
Animal Health 18
Prime Minister's Office 19
Edexcel Limited 23
City of London Police Authority 23
Attorney General's Office 24

Public bodies with most overdue requests

Public Body Percentage of requests that are overdue
Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) 37
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 38
Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 39
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 40
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 42
Coventry University 43
University of Southampton 44
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 46
NHS Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group 54
mySociety Test Quango 99

Public bodies that most frequently replied with "Not Held"

Public Body Percentage of total requests
West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner 43
Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 46
Kent Police and Crime Commissioner 46
UK Financial Investments Limited 49
London Councils 50
City of London Police Authority 54
Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner 55
Greater Manchester Police Authority 55
NHS Health Scotland 57
British Transport Police Authority 57

People

Most frequent requesters

Last 28 days

  1. J

    James Oliver

    Joined in 2020

    90

  2. Profile image for Sarah Woolley

    Sarah Woolley

    Joined in 2020

    71

  3. R

    Russ Hunter

    Joined in 2019

    69

  4. J

    John Dye

    Joined in 2014

    50

  5. C

    C Gordon

    Joined in 2020

    47

  6. J

    James

    Joined in 2020

    46

  7. K

    karamat iqbal

    Joined in 2011

    45

  8. E

    elizabeth

    Joined in 2020

    44

  9. V

    Vicki Taylor

    Joined in 2019

    40

  10. T

    Tabitha

    Joined in 2019

    40

All time

  1. J

    Jenna Corderoy

    Joined in 2017

    3223

  2. Profile image for Doug Paulley

    Doug Paulley

    Joined in 2010

    2609

  3. J

    John Fitzpatrick

    Joined in 2018

    2303

  4. Profile image for Gavin Chait

    Gavin Chait

    Joined in 2016

    2014

  5. J

    J Taylor

    Joined in 2015

    1956

  6. B

    Basia Cummings

    Joined in 2018

    1597

  7. R

    Robert Cann

    Joined in 2012

    1561

  8. A

    Abdul Hai

    Joined in 2010

    1521

  9. N

    Natalie Davis

    Joined in 2009

    1517

  10. J

    John Wicker

    Joined in 2012

    1497

Most frequent annotators

Last 28 days

  1. A

    Amanda Hart

    Joined in 2018

    85

  2. L

    Lee Jefferson

    Joined in 2016

    38

  3. J

    J Roberts

    Joined in 2013

    36

  4. G

    Gemma Partridge

    Joined in 2018

    31

  5. M

    M Boyce

    Joined in 2011

    25

  6. M

    Mr P Swift

    Joined in 2011

    18

  7. A

    Abdul Hai

    Joined in 2010

    8

  8. Profile image for S Rhosier

    S Rhosier

    Joined in 2019

    7

  9. P

    peter k. roberts

    Joined in 2013

    7

  10. Profile image for dennis fallon

    dennis fallon

    Joined in 2008

    6

All time

  1. J

    Jt Oakley

    Joined in 2013

    2135

  2. Profile image for Richard Taylor

    Richard Taylor

    Joined in 2008

    2030

  3. A

    Abdul Hai

    Joined in 2010

    1472

  4. Profile image for Paul Cardin

    Paul Cardin

    Joined in 2008

    1003

  5. J

    J Roberts

    Joined in 2013

    969

  6. Profile image for Trevor R Nunn

    Trevor R Nunn

    Joined in 2008

    956

  7. Profile image for D. Speers

    D. Speers

    Joined in 2011

    922

  8. I

    ivanataylor

    Joined in 2009

    814

  9. Profile image for Ganesh Sittampalam

    Ganesh Sittampalam

    Joined in 2008

    776

  10. Profile image for Dr Neil Bhatia

    Dr Neil Bhatia

    Joined in 2008

    737

Requests

Hidden

From time to time requests need to be hidden on WhatDoTheyKnow. This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, the request could be about someone’s personal information that shouldn’t be public or the contents could be abusive.

Here you can see how often WhatDoTheyKnow administrators have hidden requests.

Week starting Request hide events
2007-12-10 0
2007-12-17 0
2007-12-24 0
2007-12-31 0
2008-01-07 0
2008-01-14 0
2008-01-21 0
2008-01-28 0
2008-02-04 0
2008-02-11 3
2008-02-18 1
2008-02-25 1
2008-03-03 2
2008-03-10 0
2008-03-17 1
2008-03-24 0
2008-03-31 0
2008-04-07 0
2008-04-14 1
2008-04-21 1
2008-04-28 0
2008-05-05 1
2008-05-12 0
2008-05-19 0
2008-05-26 0
2008-06-02 0
2008-06-09 0
2008-06-16 0
2008-06-23 0
2008-06-30 0
2008-07-07 1
2008-07-14 0
2008-07-21 0
2008-07-28 0
2008-08-04 0
2008-08-11 0
2008-08-18 0
2008-08-25 0
2008-09-01 1
2008-09-08 1
2008-09-15 0
2008-09-22 0
2008-09-29 0
2008-10-06 0
2008-10-13 0
2008-10-20 0
2008-10-27 0
2008-11-03 0
2008-11-10 0
2008-11-17 0
2008-11-24 0
2008-12-01 0
2008-12-08 0
2008-12-15 0
2008-12-22 0
2008-12-29 0
2009-01-05 0
2009-01-12 1
2009-01-19 0
2009-01-26 0
2009-02-02 0
2009-02-09 0
2009-02-16 0
2009-02-23 0
2009-03-02 0
2009-03-09 0
2009-03-16 0
2009-03-23 0
2009-03-30 0
2009-04-06 0
2009-04-13 0
2009-04-20 2
2009-04-27 0
2009-05-04 0
2009-05-11 0
2009-05-18 0
2009-05-25 0
2009-06-01 0
2009-06-08 0
2009-06-15 2
2009-06-22 1
2009-06-29 22
2009-07-06 1
2009-07-13 0
2009-07-20 7
2009-07-27 2
2009-08-03 2
2009-08-10 1
2009-08-17 31
2009-08-24 2
2009-08-31 1
2009-09-07 2
2009-09-14 1
2009-09-21 0
2009-09-28 1
2009-10-05 3
2009-10-12 1
2009-10-19 2
2009-10-26 1
2009-11-02 0
2009-11-09 4
2009-11-16 0
2009-11-23 1
2009-11-30 0
2009-12-07 1
2009-12-14 1
2009-12-21 0
2009-12-28 1
2010-01-04 1
2010-01-11 1
2010-01-18 0
2010-01-25 2
2010-02-01 2
2010-02-08 1
2010-02-15 0
2010-02-22 0
2010-03-01 0
2010-03-08 1
2010-03-15 1
2010-03-22 0
2010-03-29 2
2010-04-05 0
2010-04-12 0
2010-04-19 0
2010-04-26 0
2010-05-03 0
2010-05-10 0
2010-05-17 0
2010-05-24 0
2010-05-31 2
2010-06-07 0
2010-06-14 2
2010-06-21 1
2010-06-28 1
2010-07-05 0
2010-07-12 2
2010-07-19 4
2010-07-26 1
2010-08-02 1
2010-08-09 4
2010-08-16 3
2010-08-23 1
2010-08-30 0
2010-09-06 0
2010-09-13 2
2010-09-20 5
2010-09-27 1
2010-10-04 0
2010-10-11 0
2010-10-18 1
2010-10-25 2
2010-11-01 3
2010-11-08 4
2010-11-15 1
2010-11-22 0
2010-11-29 0
2010-12-06 0
2010-12-13 2
2010-12-20 8
2010-12-27 1
2011-01-03 2
2011-01-10 2
2011-01-17 3
2011-01-24 5
2011-01-31 1
2011-02-07 0
2011-02-14 7
2011-02-21 0
2011-02-28 0
2011-03-07 3
2011-03-14 1
2011-03-21 2
2011-03-28 0
2011-04-04 1
2011-04-11 1
2011-04-18 2
2011-04-25 0
2011-05-02 0
2011-05-09 0
2011-05-16 0
2011-05-23 1
2011-05-30 6
2011-06-06 4
2011-06-13 1
2011-06-20 4
2011-06-27 3
2011-07-04 1
2011-07-11 5
2011-07-18 56
2011-07-25 1
2011-08-01 1
2011-08-08 0
2011-08-15 1
2011-08-22 2
2011-08-29 3
2011-09-05 6
2011-09-12 2
2011-09-19 1
2011-09-26 0
2011-10-03 2
2011-10-10 2
2011-10-17 4
2011-10-24 2
2011-10-31 0
2011-11-07 1
2011-11-14 0
2011-11-21 10
2011-11-28 0
2011-12-05 2
2011-12-12 4
2011-12-19 3
2011-12-26 2
2012-01-02 2
2012-01-09 7
2012-01-16 3
2012-01-23 9
2012-01-30 7
2012-02-06 7
2012-02-13 4
2012-02-20 6
2012-02-27 8
2012-03-05 4
2012-03-12 3
2012-03-19 4
2012-03-26 4
2012-04-02 13
2012-04-09 4
2012-04-16 11
2012-04-23 8
2012-04-30 4
2012-05-07 3
2012-05-14 3
2012-05-21 0
2012-05-28 1
2012-06-04 5
2012-06-11 1
2012-06-18 2
2012-06-25 3
2012-07-02 9
2012-07-09 19
2012-07-16 5
2012-07-23 8
2012-07-30 2
2012-08-06 6
2012-08-13 12
2012-08-20 2
2012-08-27 1
2012-09-03 2
2012-09-10 4
2012-09-17 3
2012-09-24 0
2012-10-01 9
2012-10-08 10
2012-10-15 9
2012-10-22 5
2012-10-29 6
2012-11-05 17
2012-11-12 5
2012-11-19 11
2012-11-26 6
2012-12-03 3
2012-12-10 6
2012-12-17 0
2012-12-24 2
2012-12-31 3
2013-01-07 22
2013-01-14 10
2013-01-21 4
2013-01-28 7
2013-02-04 27
2013-02-11 3
2013-02-18 32
2013-02-25 5
2013-03-04 4
2013-03-11 7
2013-03-18 12
2013-03-25 26
2013-04-01 15
2013-04-08 7
2013-04-15 11
2013-04-22 2
2013-04-29 5
2013-05-06 3
2013-05-13 3
2013-05-20 4
2013-05-27 16
2013-06-03 6
2013-06-10 21
2013-06-17 10
2013-06-24 8
2013-07-01 4
2013-07-08 2
2013-07-15 1
2013-07-22 7
2013-07-29 2
2013-08-05 4
2013-08-12 10
2013-08-19 7
2013-08-26 2
2013-09-02 1
2013-09-09 1
2013-09-16 14
2013-09-23 4
2013-09-30 6
2013-10-07 5
2013-10-14 8
2013-10-21 12
2013-10-28 5
2013-11-04 2
2013-11-11 3
2013-11-18 6
2013-11-25 0
2013-12-02 0
2013-12-09 2
2013-12-16 6
2013-12-23 2
2013-12-30 2
2014-01-06 1
2014-01-13 5
2014-01-20 0
2014-01-27 3
2014-02-03 4
2014-02-10 18
2014-02-17 3
2014-02-24 3
2014-03-03 7
2014-03-10 1
2014-03-17 5
2014-03-24 0
2014-03-31 4
2014-04-07 9
2014-04-14 0
2014-04-21 5
2014-04-28 7
2014-05-05 9
2014-05-12 5
2014-05-19 5
2014-05-26 2
2014-06-02 1
2014-06-09 15
2014-06-16 4
2014-06-23 3
2014-06-30 107
2014-07-07 4
2014-07-14 4
2014-07-21 1
2014-07-28 7
2014-08-04 2
2014-08-11 4
2014-08-18 2
2014-08-25 3
2014-09-01 1
2014-09-08 5
2014-09-15 3
2014-09-22 0
2014-09-29 7
2014-10-06 10
2014-10-13 3
2014-10-20 1
2014-10-27 1
2014-11-03 42
2014-11-10 1
2014-11-17 9
2014-11-24 8
2014-12-01 12
2014-12-08 3
2014-12-15 4
2014-12-22 1
2014-12-29 0
2015-01-05 5
2015-01-12 4
2015-01-19 1
2015-01-26 16
2015-02-02 1
2015-02-09 8
2015-02-16 3
2015-02-23 2
2015-03-02 6
2015-03-09 4
2015-03-16 11
2015-03-23 3
2015-03-30 10
2015-04-06 15
2015-04-13 7
2015-04-20 7
2015-04-27 2
2015-05-04 4
2015-05-11 16
2015-05-18 6
2015-05-25 4
2015-06-01 11
2015-06-08 10
2015-06-15 6
2015-06-22 20
2015-06-29 6
2015-07-06 15
2015-07-13 15
2015-07-20 27
2015-07-27 6
2015-08-03 9
2015-08-10 7
2015-08-17 20
2015-08-24 8
2015-08-31 4
2015-09-07 9
2015-09-14 11
2015-09-21 4
2015-09-28 5
2015-10-05 10
2015-10-12 8
2015-10-19 9
2015-10-26 2
2015-11-02 8
2015-11-09 6
2015-11-16 6
2015-11-23 0
2015-11-30 5
2015-12-07 4
2015-12-14 3
2015-12-21 3
2015-12-28 3
2016-01-04 10
2016-01-11 5
2016-01-18 6
2016-01-25 9
2016-02-01 52
2016-02-08 4
2016-02-15 5
2016-02-22 21
2016-02-29 8
2016-03-07 16
2016-03-14 2
2016-03-21 5
2016-03-28 9
2016-04-04 8
2016-04-11 13
2016-04-18 2
2016-04-25 9
2016-05-02 3
2016-05-09 9
2016-05-16 7
2016-05-23 4
2016-05-30 14
2016-06-06 8
2016-06-13 11
2016-06-20 5
2016-06-27 10
2016-07-04 3
2016-07-11 9
2016-07-18 13
2016-07-25 6
2016-08-01 8
2016-08-08 5
2016-08-15 10
2016-08-22 19
2016-08-29 11
2016-09-05 5
2016-09-12 13
2016-09-19 16
2016-09-26 3
2016-10-03 8
2016-10-10 14
2016-10-17 47
2016-10-24 32
2016-10-31 4
2016-11-07 3
2016-11-14 2
2016-11-21 7
2016-11-28 12
2016-12-05 6
2016-12-12 7
2016-12-19 6
2016-12-26 5
2017-01-02 5
2017-01-09 6
2017-01-16 10
2017-01-23 9
2017-01-30 11
2017-02-06 8
2017-02-13 8
2017-02-20 4
2017-02-27 37
2017-03-06 18
2017-03-13 24
2017-03-20 14
2017-03-27 9
2017-04-03 25
2017-04-10 11
2017-04-17 9
2017-04-24 12
2017-05-01 40
2017-05-08 8
2017-05-15 7
2017-05-22 6
2017-05-29 26
2017-06-05 10
2017-06-12 9
2017-06-19 18
2017-06-26 24
2017-07-03 8
2017-07-10 6
2017-07-17 5
2017-07-24 27
2017-07-31 18
2017-08-07 23
2017-08-14 13
2017-08-21 15
2017-08-28 10
2017-09-04 23
2017-09-11 23
2017-09-18 9
2017-09-25 31
2017-10-02 18
2017-10-09 12
2017-10-16 13
2017-10-23 21
2017-10-30 17
2017-11-06 14
2017-11-13 15
2017-11-20 49
2017-11-27 14
2017-12-04 35
2017-12-11 9
2017-12-18 19
2017-12-25 43
2018-01-01 16
2018-01-08 7
2018-01-15 19
2018-01-22 15
2018-01-29 12
2018-02-05 11
2018-02-12 30
2018-02-19 9
2018-02-26 22
2018-03-05 6
2018-03-12 57
2018-03-19 17
2018-03-26 8
2018-04-02 4
2018-04-09 7
2018-04-16 6
2018-04-23 14
2018-04-30 7
2018-05-07 6
2018-05-14 4
2018-05-21 9
2018-05-28 8
2018-06-04 34
2018-06-11 9
2018-06-18 20
2018-06-25 19
2018-07-02 16
2018-07-09 14
2018-07-16 129
2018-07-23 50
2018-07-30 45
2018-08-06 171
2018-08-13 74
2018-08-20 484
2018-08-27 17
2018-09-03 3
2018-09-10 14
2018-09-17 5
2018-09-24 4
2018-10-01 14
2018-10-08 13
2018-10-15 14
2018-10-22 44
2018-10-29 87
2018-11-05 72
2018-11-12 12
2018-11-19 16
2018-11-26 5
2018-12-03 19
2018-12-10 41
2018-12-17 21
2018-12-24 192
2018-12-31 9
2019-01-07 20
2019-01-14 112
2019-01-21 1011
2019-01-28 81
2019-02-04 22
2019-02-11 18
2019-02-18 58
2019-02-25 6
2019-03-04 17
2019-03-11 24
2019-03-18 13
2019-03-25 10
2019-04-01 7
2019-04-08 9
2019-04-15 5
2019-04-22 2
2019-04-29 3
2019-05-06 2
2019-05-13 12
2019-05-20 2
2019-05-27 0
2019-06-03 0
2019-06-10 17
2019-06-17 3
2019-06-24 6
2019-07-01 14
2019-07-08 44
2019-07-15 14
2019-07-22 13
2019-07-29 23
2019-08-05 28
2019-08-12 7
2019-08-19 6
2019-08-26 6
2019-09-02 6
2019-09-09 20
2019-09-16 16
2019-09-23 7
2019-09-30 13
2019-10-07 30
2019-10-14 14
2019-10-21 29
2019-10-28 3
2019-11-04 13
2019-11-11 20
2019-11-18 2407
2019-11-25 8
2019-12-02 7
2019-12-09 11
2019-12-16 4
2019-12-23 3
2019-12-30 3
2020-01-06 8
2020-01-13 14
2020-01-20 18
2020-01-27 7
2020-02-03 8
2020-02-10 2
2020-02-17 6
2020-02-24 17
2020-03-02 3
2020-03-09 10
2020-03-16 9
2020-03-23 9
2020-03-30 23
2020-04-06 67
2020-04-13 34
2020-04-20 16
2020-04-27 13
2020-05-04 6
2020-05-11 12
2020-05-18 60
2020-05-25 11
2020-06-01 16
2020-06-08 24
2020-06-15 25
2020-06-22 17
2020-06-29 5
2020-07-06 0