Re-use of public sector information

The public sector is one of the largest and most significant sources of information in the UK. This subtopic considers key elements of the legal framework concerning the availability and re-use of public sector information.

Re-use of public sector information

Accessible information produced, held or disseminated by public sector bodies must be made available for re-use (unless otherwise restricted or excluded), at no or minimal cost. Re-use of public sector information means using information created by public sector bodies in the course of their public function(s) for purposes other than those which the information was originally produced for.

Most information produced by central government bodies and Ministers in the UK enjoys Crown copyright status (see below). The majority of Crown copyright information (especially information published online) may be re-used free of charge under the terms of the Open Government Licence (OGL).

Re-use is governed by the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 (RPSI Regulations 2015), SI 2015/1415. The RPSI Regulations 2015 implemented Directive 2013/37/EU amending Directive 2003/98/EC on the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The RPSI Regulations 2015 came into force on 18 July 2015,

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