Charities that are involved in the workfare programme run by the Department for Work and Pensions look set to have their names published following the latest legal ruling on the matter.

The Upper Tribunal has dismissed DWP's appeal against an earlier tribunal ruling that it must publish the names of the organisations delivering unpaid work experience schemes.

In January 2012 three separate Freedom of Information Act requests were submitted to the DWP asking for the names of those involved in its Mandatory Work Activity and Work Programme schemes. The DWP denied the requests arguing that disclosing the names of organisations could make the programme unworkable.

The Information Commissioner issued three decision notices in October 2012 telling DWP that it was in the public interest to disclose the information.

The Information Tribunal ruled in May 2013 that DWP must publish the names of organisations involved, and said that big commercial organisations “can be expected to have a thick skin should their names be disclosed”.

An Upper Tribunal hearing took place in June 2014 and the judgment was published yesterday.

In the judgment, judge Nicholas Wikeley concluded that the original ruling did not “involve any material error of law” and that the Information Commissioner’s original decision should be complied with.

A DWP spokesman said: “We are disappointed in the Tribunal's decision and will be considering their judgment carefully.”