I am not a UK citizen. Can I access British Council information?  (Top)Yes. You can have access to any of the information published on our website and, if you cannot find the information on our website, you can make a request for information.

How do I get hold of published information in hard copy?  (Top) 
Requests for printed versions of publications, stating the name(s) of the publication(s) you want, should be addressed to:

Freedom of Information Unit
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London SW1A 2BN
Email foi@britishcouncil.org

Alternatively, you can make a personal visit to the British Council and use our public access terminals. You will need to register to use this facility.

Can I get information held by the British Council about myself or other individuals?  (Top)
Under the Data Protection Act you are entitled only to personal information that the British Council holds about you. See our Privacy Policy and Data protection page which contains our Personal Information Charter. 

How did the British Council decide what information to publish?  (Top) 
Our approach has been to identify the information that explains how the British Council works. We will constantly review our performance and make improvements wherever possible. If you would like to make a suggestion, please contact the Freedom of Information Unit.

What kind of information is being published?  (Top) 
We aim to make the maximum amount of information about us and what we do readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost. We already publish a great deal of information on our website ( www.britishcouncil.org).

The information I want is not on your website. Why?  (Top)
The information you want may not be easily published, may be exempt from disclosure according to the Freedom of Information Act or may have been excluded because we considered it was not of sufficient general interest. If you would like to make a request or a suggestion, please contact the Freedom of Information Unit.

How do I get access to older information?  (Top)
Send a written enquiry (by post or by e-mail) to the Freedom of Information Officer, who will respond as soon as possible. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please bear in mind that some older information will have been destroyed according to British Council retention guidelines.

How much do publications cost?  (Top)
Where there is a charge, the cost will be shown against each item.

There is a charge for the publication I want: where do I send money?   (Top)
This will be clearly stated against the item in question. Unless otherwise stated, do not send money to the British Council.

How do I request additional information from the British Council about Freedom of Information?  (Top)
Enquiries should be addressed initially to the British Council Freedom of Information Officer:

Freedom of Information Unit
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London SW1A 2BN
E-mail foi@britishcouncil.org

How do I request additional information about the British Council’s policy on data protection?  (Top)
We apply the UK Data Protection Act 1998 to all of our global operations unless the local equivalent law is stronger.   To find out more, visit our Data protection page.  You can also contact our Data Protection Officer:

British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London SW1A 2BN
E-mail dataprotection@britishcouncil.org