The report, commissioned by NCVO and Ashbridge Business School, found that voluntary organisations are using the Act to gain access to a variety of important and helpful information, including how public bodies arrive at decisions and who has most influence during the decision-making process.

More than 9% of VCOs requested information during the first six months of the Act, a figure which is expected to grow as more organisations use it to inform campaigning activity. However, the report found that despite this, 29% of those interviewed were not familiar at all with the act, and 59% were unaware of how to get help using it.

Stuart Etherington, NCVO chief executive, said: “Campaigning is a key area of work for the voluntary and community sector and the Freedom of Information Act can be a valuable tool in campaigning. This joint report shows that where organisations are aware of the Act they have made use of it in their work but that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the Act and its potential."

In response to the survey, NCVO has published a Guide to the Information Act. A copy of this and the full report can be found at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/FIA