United Utilities PLC

The complainant has requested information about compensation claims associated with the Franklaw water bug outbreak. United Utilities plc (UU) withheld the information under regulation 13 of the EIR as it considers the information to be the personal data of third persons. The Commissioner’s decision is as follows: Under regulation 13(1) of the EIR, UU is entitled to withhold claimants’ full postcodes and information on any claimant illnesses associated with those full postcodes. The ‘outbound code’ element of the postcodes in question combined with information on claimants’ symptoms and illness onset cannot be categorised as personal data and does not engage the regulation 13(1) exception. UU breached regulation 14(2) of the EIR because it did not refuse the complainant’s request within 20 working days. The Commissioner requires UU to take the following step to ensure compliance with the legislation: With reference to the table in paragraph 28, release the outbound code element of each of the postcodes in question, the symptoms each claimant experienced and the date their illness started.