Isle of Man Post Office
67 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 71.6%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Post Office reveal an authority that is largely transparent regarding its operational statistics, workforce structure, and spending on procurement, yet cautious about disclosing sensitive financial and legal details. A dominant theme is the intense scrutiny of the workforce, with cases like 1216881 and 1595485 providing granular data on salary scales and average remuneration. The data paints a picture of an organization managing financial constraints, evidenced by the suspension of staff vouchers due to forecast losses (1074761) and the significant expenditure on the Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme (1815102). The Post Office has been open about safety incidents, such as dog attacks (553138) and delivery failures (671265), and has disclosed detailed training costs and MBA support (1569037), suggesting a commitment to staff development despite financial pressures.
Key Cases
Case 1216881 — This case provides a comprehensive 'open book' view of the organization's human resources, disclosing full salary grading tables and staffing structures from executives to postmen, which is rare in its level of detail for public sector employment data.
Case 1568073 — Highlights a significant operational failure regarding the printing of Onchan Polling Cards. While the authority admitted to the error and time spent, it invoked commercial sensitivity to withhold the specific reprint costs, illustrating the tension between accountability and commercial exemptions.
Case 1074761 — Reveals the direct impact of financial forecasting on employee morale, explicitly stating that discretionary Christmas vouchers were withheld due to a forecast financial loss, connecting corporate finance directly to staff benefits.
Case 2310066 — A critical case regarding legal transparency. The authority refused to disclose specific costs and details of legal disputes over seven years, citing legal professional privilege, which limits public understanding of the organization's legal liabilities and risks.
Case 2446957 — Demonstrates the limitations of the FOI process when the request is based on a misunderstanding of policy. The case lapsed because the 'restriction' on insurance was actually incorrect staff advice, resolved as a customer complaint rather than a data disclosure, highlighting the need for accurate frontline information.
Related FOI Stories
Workforce Costs, Salaries, and Benefits — #1216881, #1216981, #1595485, #1815102, #1856326
Staff Absence, Health, and Disciplinary Action — #1664670, #1664869, #1523190, #1873791, #2351498
Operational Failures, Safety, and Service Quality — #671265, #893963, #553138, #1568073, #2446957
Governance, Whistleblowing, and Legal Accountability — #1810302, #1873790, #1873889, #1194049, #2310063
Procurement, Spending, and Training — #1679989, #1715229, #1569037, #2310061, #1173349
All (67)
All information sent (48) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (5) ·
Some information sent but not all held (5) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (3) ·
Information not held (3) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (2) ·
Withdrawn (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-07 | Print & Signage spend for 2025 | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office disclosed its 2025 print and signage spending for six specific suppliers requested by the applicant. The response provided exact monetary figures for each business, revealing that three suppliers received no spend during the period. | ||
| 2025-10-28 | Minimum wage | All information sent |
| The requester asked how many roles at the Isle of Man Post Office are filled by individuals on minimum wage. The authority responded that all roles and casual workers are currently paid above the minimum wage rate. | ||
| 2023-04-11 | Vehicle licensing | Information not held |
| 2023-02-16 | Post office vehiles | All information sent |
| 2023-02-01 | public sector OCR document scanning invoice and credit note history | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2022-12-01 | public sector post office box numbers | All information sent |
| 2022-11-14 | Internet cameras | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| 2022-11-14 | Well-being report by local physiotherapist | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-09-09 | Unpublished Responses to FOIA Requests | All information sent |
| The requester asked for copies of Freedom of Information Act responses not included in the official Disclosure Log since the Act's introduction. The Isle of Man Post Office responded that all such responses have already been published to the log, meaning no additional documents were withheld. | ||
| 2022-05-16 | Restriction of postal Service Insurance to counter-purchased stamps | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| The requester sought justification for a policy allegedly denying compensation for pre-stamped parcels, but the authority clarified that the staff advice was incorrect and confirmed that pre-stamped items are eligible for compensation. The FOI request ultimately lapsed as the matter was resolved as a customer complaint rather than through formal information disclosure. | ||
| 2022-04-20 | Numbers of IOM Post office employees | All information sent |
| A request was made for employee numbers and salary data for the Isle of Man Post Office as of 31 March 2022. The authority disclosed the total headcount, the split between full-time and part-time staff, and the total annual salary expenditure. | ||
| 2022-04-01 | Management | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a request regarding internal promotions, management fast-track programs, and vacancy advertising practices over the last six years. The authority disclosed that all internal vacancies were advertised, no formal fast-track program exists, and provided specific annual promotion counts from 2016 to 2021. | ||
| 2022-04-01 | Claims | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought the number of Employment & Equality Tribunal claims against the Isle of Man Post Office over six years and a comparison with other government bodies. The authority disclosed the specific claim counts by year but stated it did not hold the comparative data requested. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS) | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought MARS resignation statistics by sorting office and age range for the last five years; the authority provided total and office-specific counts for the available three-year period but withheld age data due to privacy exemptions. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Management Disciplinary's | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for data on manager disciplinary actions, bullying reports, and nepotism across four sorting offices over the last five years. The authority disclosed that no managers received disciplinary action or were moved due to behavior, three bullying reports resulted in no case to answer, and information regarding family members in management was not held. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Government Levy | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for confirmation regarding the link between the removal of a government levy and recent Post Office profits, as well as the cost of a new parcel sorting machine. The Isle of Man Post Office refused to provide the information, citing that it is already publicly available in statutory accounts and that disclosure would breach confidence. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Vehicles | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-03-29 | Offences | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for statistics on staff criminal offences and cautions over the past five years. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Airport Passes | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for data on lost airport passes, associated fines, and security procedures over the last five years. The authority disclosed that only one pass was lost in 2021 with a £40 fine, noting that records prior to 2020 were not held by the airport. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Vehicles | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office disclosed the total size of its vehicle fleet and the number of electric vehicles, providing a breakdown of vehicle counts across its four delivery offices. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Walk Duties | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of walk duties across four island offices and confirmation regarding parcel deliveries in those areas. The Isle of Man Post Office disclosed that there are 29 walk duties, all located in Douglas, and confirmed that parcel duties cover the same geographies. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Staff | All information sent |
| The request asked for the number of casual staff recruited by the Isle of Man Post Office over the last five years. The authority disclosed the specific count of individuals issued casual worker contracts for each year from 2017 to 2021. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Staff | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of extra staff hired by the Isle of Man Post Office for Christmas over the last five years. The authority clarified that they do not recruit specific 'Christmas staff' but provided figures for casual worker contracts issued during that period. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Leave & Sickness | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding staff leave statistics, disclosing the number of employees on family leave and long-term sick leave for the five years preceding 2022. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Training Costs | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for staff training costs over the last five years, and the authority disclosed the specific expenditure figures for each financial year from 2017/18 to 2021/22. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Board Meetings | All information sent |
| The requester asked about the frequency of Isle of Man Post Office board meetings and the public availability of agendas and minutes. The authority confirmed meetings occur bi-monthly with ad hoc sessions, but stated that neither agendas nor minutes are available to the general public. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Training | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for staff training costs over the last five years, and the authority disclosed the specific expenditure figures for each financial year from 2017/18 to 2021/22. | ||
| 2022-03-08 | Legal Disputes | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for detailed statistics and costs regarding legal disputes and fees for the Isle of Man Post Office over the last seven years. The authority refused to disclose specific case costs and legal quotes citing legal professional privilege, while directing the requester to public court websites for general case schedules and awards. | ||
| 2022-02-22 | Cessation of PO Box Collection | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for documents regarding the cessation of the PO Box collection facility at Douglas Sorting Office, but the authority clarified that only the self-serve facility was removed while counter collection remains available. The response disclosed that the decision was part of a 2021/22 operating plan to improve parcel efficiency due to low utilization of the boxes. | ||
| 2022-02-14 | Job Vacancies | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for a list of all job vacancies advertised between January 2019 and February 2022, including titles and employment types. The authority responded by providing a comprehensive table detailing 50 specific job advertisements with dates, titles, hours, and internal/external status. | ||
| 2021-08-02 | Staff Turnover | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office was requested to provide staff turnover figures for the last five years, split by actual numbers and percentages. The authority fully disclosed the data, providing annual statistics for actual leavers, full-time equivalent leavers, and their respective percentages of the workforce from 2016/17 to 2020/21. | ||
| 2021-06-28 | Information request - 1810302 (ref: 1810302) | All information sent |
| The requester asked if non-staff members could report wrongdoing at the Isle of Man Post Office and requested copies of the relevant whistleblowing procedures. The authority confirmed that separate policies exist for employees and suppliers, and disclosed both the Supplier Assurance Confidential Reporting procedure and the internal Employee Whistleblowing Policy. | ||
| 2021-06-28 | Victimisation & Harassment | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding employee victimisation and harassment statistics over the last five years, confirming that all formal complaints are investigated and providing specific counts of cases, disciplinary actions, and staff departures. | ||
| 2021-06-28 | Whistleblowing cases | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office for statistics on whistleblowing cases and supplier assurance reports over the last five years, including investigation and disciplinary outcomes. The authority disclosed that no whistleblowing cases were recorded in either category during that period and clarified that while no specific whistleblowing training exists, designated officers have received role-appropriate training. | ||
| 2021-06-21 | Audit Failures | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of audit failures over the last five years and any resulting disciplinary actions at the Isle of Man Post Office. The authority disclosed that there were no audit failures as all opinions were unmodified and no disciplinary action was taken. | ||
| 2021-06-21 | Salary & Remuneration Policy | All information sent |
| The requester asked if the Isle of Man Post Office has a 'Salary & Remuneration Policy' and requested a copy. The authority responded that no such specific policy exists, noting instead that they operate under a grading structure and collective bargaining agreements. | ||
| 2021-06-21 | Legal costs | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office was requested to provide legal costs incurred over the last five years, broken down by area. The authority disclosed the specific costs for each financial year from 2016/17 to 2020/21, noting that no legal costs were incurred in the final two years. | ||
| 2021-05-31 | Staffing numbers | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office was requested to provide Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) staff numbers for the past five years. The authority confirmed that all information was released, detailing the specific FTE figures for each financial year from 2016/17 to 2020/21. | ||
| 2021-05-31 | MARS | All information sent |
| The request sought details on staff exits, costs, applications, and availability of the MARS scheme at the Isle of Man Post Office over the last five years. The authority disclosed that the scheme began in February 2019, provided total payment figures, and confirmed there are no set limits on places or an end date for the program. | ||
| 2021-05-31 | Our ref: 1664869 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked the Isle of Man Post Office for detailed absence costs including cover, pensions, and NI, as well as accountability for rising absence levels. The authority confirmed that absence costs are not required in statutory accounts but stated it does not hold specific data on cover costs, additional costs, or associated pension/NI contributions. | ||
| 2021-05-26 | Projected FTE head count? | Information not held |
| The requester asked for projected Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) staff numbers for the Isle of Man Post Office over the next five years or until 2023/24. The authority responded that the information is not held because future workforce strategies are considered commercially confidential. | ||
| 2021-05-26 | Whistleblowing | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Post Office regarding its whistleblowing policy, access methods, investigation procedures, and public availability. The authority confirmed the existence of the policy, detailed how staff and suppliers can access it, outlined investigation pathways including external inquiries for senior management, and agreed to share the policy publicly. | ||
| 2021-03-18 | Click and collect. | All information sent |
| The request sought information on the spending and public demand for the Isle of Man Post Office's 'click and collect' initiative. The authority disclosed the total expenditure and provided a breakdown of service requests since the launch date. | ||
| 2021-02-22 | Printing suppliers on the Isle of Man used by Post Office | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office disclosed the total spending on six specific printing suppliers for the calendar year 2020 in response to a Freedom of Information request. The data revealed varying expenditure levels, with Words & Spaces Limited being the highest spend and Cannell Print having zero spend. | ||
| 2021-02-08 | Occupational Health Assessment (OHA) | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding their definition of long-term absence, staff absence statistics, and manager training protocols. The authority disclosed that they do not have a fixed policy definition for long-term absence, provided specific annual counts for staff with absences over 4 weeks and those undergoing Occupational Health Assessments, but withheld data on the specific reasons for assessments. | ||
| 2021-02-08 | Staff Absences follow-up request from ref:1523189 | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a follow-up FOI request regarding staff absence costs, reasons, and management interventions over the last five years. The authority disclosed total absence costs and specific absence days but clarified that it does not categorize absences as short-term or long-term, nor does it track mental health issues unless they result in absence. | ||
| 2020-12-10 | Average Salary | All information sent |
| The Isle of Man Post Office responded to a request for staff employment figures and average salary breakdowns, disclosing the Full-time Equivalent (FTE) count and detailed remuneration costs per employee as of November 2020. | ||
| 2020-12-08 | MBA Qualifications | Withdrawn |
| The request sought information regarding MBA repayment obligations for a former employee and the current grade of an employed staff member at the Isle of Man Post Office. The authority confirmed that no repayment was required due to government funding and verified that the remaining staff member holds a grade 9 or above position. | ||
| 2020-11-23 | Onchan Polling Cards | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made regarding the Isle of Man Post Office's error in printing Onchan Polling Cards, seeking details on reprint costs, staff time, management time, and disciplinary actions. The authority disclosed the time spent and confirmed no disciplinary action was taken, but withheld the specific reprint cost citing commercial sensitivity. | ||
| 2020-11-23 | MBA Qualifications | All information sent |
| The request sought details on MBA support provided by the Isle of Man Post Office over the last decade, including staff numbers, retention, and costs. The authority disclosed that two staff members were supported, one remains employed, and the total financial cost was £79,500 plus National Insurance, with no additional paid time off costs. | ||
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