Compatibility and the reuse of personal information
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Latest updates - 23 March 2026
23 March 2026 - this guidance was published.
About this guidance
This guidance discusses when it’s compatible to reuse personal information in line with the purpose limitation principle. This complements the brief guidance on Principle (b): Purpose limitation in A guide to the data protection principles.
If you haven’t yet read the brief guidance, read that first. It introduces this topic, sets out the key points you need to know and offers practical checklists to help you comply.
Read this detailed guidance if:
- you have questions not answered in the brief guidance; or
- you need more information to help you apply the rules on reuse and compatibility in practice.
This guidance is aimed at data protection officers and people with specific data protection responsibilities in larger organisations.
Contents
What does data protection law say about the compatible reuse of personal information?
- What does ‘reusing’ personal information mean?
- Can we reuse personal information for a new purpose?
- What is a ‘compatible’ purpose?
- Are the rules on reuse affected by our original lawful basis?
- When do we have to assess compatibility?
- Do we need a lawful basis for our new purpose?
- Can we reuse special category data or criminal offence data?
What are the annex 2 compatibility conditions?
- What is an annex 2 ‘compatible’ purpose?
- How do we apply an annex 2 compatibility condition?
- What are the compatibility conditions?
Public task disclosure response compatibility condition
- What is the public task disclosure response compatibility condition?
- When is the public task disclosure response compatibility condition likely to be appropriate?
- What does a valid request for personal information needed for tasks or functions look like?
- How do we decide what’s necessary for this compatibility condition?
- If it’s compatible, do we have to share the requested information?
- What is our lawful basis?
Archiving disclosure response compatibility condition
- What is the archiving disclosure response compatibility condition?
- When is the archiving disclosure response compatibility condition likely to be appropriate?
- How do we decide what’s necessary for this compatibility condition?
Public security compatibility condition
- What is the public security compatibility condition?
- How do we apply the public security compatibility condition?
Emergencies compatibility condition
- What is the emergencies compatibility condition?
- How do we apply the emergencies compatibility condition?
Crime compatibility condition
Vital interests compatibility condition
- What is the vital interests compatibility condition?
- How do we apply the vital interests compatibility condition?
Safeguarding compatibility condition
- What is the safeguarding compatibility condition?
- How do we apply the safeguarding compatibility condition?
- What is our lawful basis?
Taxation compatibility condition
Legal obligations compatibility condition
- What is the legal obligations compatibility condition?
- How do we apply this compatibility condition?