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Government Data Breach Claims

The public sector is privy to a wide range of our sensitive information, and this data is regularly shared between organisations and departments as part of modern governance and the delivery of public services.

But, with data breaches on the rise, government bodies must do more to improve cybersecurity. Our local governments were hit by almost 100 million cyber attacks over five years, with one in four council systems successfully breached.

This is particularly important as the UK government acknowledges cybercrime as the number one threat to national security. And, in addition to the risk of crime, human error continues to cause far too many data breaches.

So, as central and local government becomes digital, it is vital that there are adequate and robust protections in place to secure the data and information held within it. And that public sector staff have the knowledge and ability to handle such data securely.

But all too often this isn’t happening.

If you have been the victim of a privacy violation due to a government organisation breaching any part of the Data Protection Act (the UK’s interpretation of GDPR), you have a right to claim compensation.

At Hayes Connor Solicitors, we have decades of combined experience helping families and individuals to claim compensation where a government body has failed to protect their data. We can help you claim for your financial losses, emotional distress and loss of privacy.

We understand that making a compensation claim can be stressful, especially while you are dealing with the emotional impact of having your data exposed. That’s why we make sure you always know what’s happening with your case and remove the jargon from the process to keep things as simple and stress-free as possible.

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Where we believe you have a case for claiming compensation, we may be able to act for you on a no win, no fee basis, removing any financial risk from the process of making a claim.

Think you are entitled to compensation for a government data breach? Use our simple and secure online claim form to share the details of your situation and we will get back to you shortly to let you know whether we can help.

To speak to a member of our team now about what to do if your data has been exposed, please call us on 0151 363 5895.

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Types of central and local government data breaches we can assist with

We can make data breach claims against:

  • Local councils
  • Private government companies
  • Government bodies
  • Elected representatives

Where a breach occurs, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), can respond with actions such as financial penalties and prosecutions.

Some examples of cases investigated by the ICO include where:

  • The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was fined £120,000 after it unlawfully identified 943 people who owned vacant properties in the borough
  • Nottinghamshire County Council was fined £70,000 for leaving vulnerable people’s personal information exposed online for five years
  • Islington Council was fined £70,000 for failing to keep up to 89,000 people’s information secure on its parking ticket system website
  • Gloucester City Council was fined £100,000 after a cyber attacker accessed council employees’ sensitive personal information
  • Basildon Borough Council was fined £150,000 for publishing sensitive personal information about a family
  • An MP was fined £5,000 for making nuisance calls.

Take a look at our case studies to find out more about the types of data breaches that are occurring across the UK.

Making a central and local government data breach claim

Are you owed compensation for a central or local government data breach?

Cybercriminals are becoming more and more sophisticated. But this doesn’t let government organisations off the hook. If they have done everything in their power to protect your data and have robust security processes and procedures in place, it is unlikely that a claim would be successful.

This is why we usually wait for the results of an investigation by the ICO before starting a claim.

But in most cases, public sector data breaches happen because of human error and/or a failure to implement reasonable and robust processes.

Ultimately, if a government organisation has failed to protect your personal data, you have a right to claim compensation. Even if you haven’t suffered as a result.

How to start a central or local government data breach claim

Our professional, friendly team will advise you on whether you have a valid claim against a government organisation. If you are not sure whether your private information has been misused or mishandled, we can find this out for you.

Once we establish that you have grounds for government data breach compensation, we will take care of the whole claims process for you.

Our team will contact the government body you hold responsible for failing to protect your data. Where we believe you were let down by their security processes, we will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.

To get the claims process started, you can use our simple and secure online claim form to share the details of your situation and we will get back to you shortly to let you know whether we can help.

To speak to a member of our team now about what to do if you have been a victim of an government  data breach, please call us on 0151 363 5895.

What compensation can you get for a central or local government data breach?

You can make a government data breach claim if an organisation has failed to protect your personal data – regardless of whether or not you have suffered as a result of the breach. However, where you have experienced financial, medical harm, anguish or anxiety, we can make a more significant case.

Financial losses

A government data breach can lead to both financial and/or identity theft. And the result of either of these can be devastating. With enough information, cybercriminals can apply for credit in your name, set up fraudulent bank accounts and access your existing accounts.

Distress

Even if you haven’t lost out financially after a government data breach, this doesn’t mean that there is “no harm done.” A personal data breach is a 21st-century version of being burgled. If a criminal came into your home and stole your private information, you would be distressed. So why should you feel any less upset at having your personal data taken?

Being the victim of a crime can have a significant impact on you mentally and physically. Of course, everyone reacts differently, but for some people, the effects can include a lack of sleep, feeling ill, unsettled or confused. Stress can also affect your friends, your family and your job.

The full impact of a public sector data breach is not always immediate.

Dealing with many different types of local and central government data breach cases, one thing that has become apparent to our solicitors is that the full impact is often not felt until months after the initial violation.

In particular, where personal records are accessed, we’ve seen cases where experiencing a data breach has resulted in adverse life events such as having to move house or area, losing a job, relationship stress and separation, and dislocation from friends and family. All of which can lead to a diagnosable psychological injury. And this is often happening months after the initial breach was revealed.

Central and local government compensation after ICO investigation.

At Hayes Connor, we can help you make claims against a wide range of government organisations already fined by the ICO.

Under the GDPR, organisations MUST tell you if they have breached your personal data. But despite this, too often people still don’t know that their data has been breached until they hear that the local council or government department has been fined by the ICO. In such cases, it’s worth finding out whether your data was put at risk, because, if so, you may have a claim for compensation.

We can also keep you updated on upcoming and current government data breach claim investigations.

Start your central or local government data breach claim today

At Hayes Connor Solicitors we help you to claim compensation and steer you through the aftermath of a government data breach – minimising the impact on you as much as possible.

With strict time limits in place for making government data breach claims it’s important to act now to make sure you don’t miss out on your right to claim.

Start your claim

You can find out more about our expertise and how we handle claims here. To have your claim assessed for free, you can use our secure online claim form. Or to speak to a member of our team, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0330 041 5137.