The Freedom of Information Act provides for public authorities to either charge for or decline requests for information that would cost over what is referred to as the appropriate limit. For Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust (and some other public authorities) the appropriate limit is set at £450. This is equivalent to about two and a half days work (or 18 hours at the rate of £25 per hour).
Public authorities are required to estimate whether a request is likely to breach the 'appropriate limit' and where it does, to notify the applicant of the estimated costs and where available, the options to reduce those costs as may be required.