Are there other routes I can take?
Yes, you have the right to take proceedings to court if you believe an organisation has not handled your information appropriately.
Although this is not a process we can assist with, we do recommend that you seek independent legal advice should you wish to pursue this course of action.
The individual court systems provide useful guidance on:
- how to bring a claim in England and Wales;
- how to bring a claim in Scotland; and
- how to bring a claim in Northern Ireland.
Citizens Advice provides information on:
- taking legal action in England and Wales; and
- taking legal action in Scotland.
You can also find further information at:
- Justice UK (England and Wales)
- The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (Scotland)
- Department of Justice (Northern Ireland)
Our additional support directory also contains a list of organisations and resources that you can access to support you with challenges or issues that are unrelated to your information rights.
Do I have to go to court to get compensation for a breach of data protection law?
You have the right to claim compensation from an organisation if you have experienced damage as a result of them breaking data protection law. This includes both material damage (eg you have lost money) or non-material damage (eg you have suffered distress).
Although we may give our opinion when something has gone wrong with an organisation, we don’t have the power to award compensation.
We strongly recommend you take independent legal advice about the strength of your case before taking any claim to court.
Do I have to wait for the ICO to investigate before making a claim to the courts?
No, you can submit your claim at any time before or during our involvement in your case. You don’t have to wait for our outcome to pursue this through the courts.