Published: July 1st, 2024
If your business handles the personal information of individual people, you have a legal responsibility to protect that data – and you might need to register with the information watchdog.
Personal data is anything which can identify an individual – it can be anything from name and address to more sensitive information like sexual orientation or criminal convictions.
The Information Commissioner’s Office – the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and information – has announced that it will shortly be writing to organisations and businesses to remind them that they might have a legal responsibility to register with the ICO and pay the data protection fee.
They will be writing to those they have contacted in the past, as well as newly incorporated companies.
While all businesses have a responsibility to look after data properly, not all businesses need to register with the ICO or pay the data protection fee.
There are lots of tips and simple guides specifically designed for small and medium enterprises on the web hub at https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/sme-web-hub/
The ICO also has a dedicated team which can answer questions about the data protection fee, which can be reached on 0303 123 1113 (option 2). There is also information, including a self-assessment tool, at https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-fee/
