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Social Services Data Breach Claims

START YOUR SOCIAL SERVICES DATA BREACH COMPENSATION CLAIM HERE

You could be in line for compensation worth thousands if your data has been leaked by social services., especially if that data is of a highly sensitive nature.

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Social Services Data Breach

Have you or your dependents been the victim of a data breach due to a social services provider? Depending on the impact this breach has had, you could be entitled to up to thousands in damages.

One of the highest cited reasons why people do not initiate compensation claims of this nature is both the hassle of filling in paperwork, or fear regarding the amount of any fees you have to pay a lawyer. Well, worry not: we have made it easy for you to start the process of making a claim. On top of that, a lawyer will work on your behalf on a no-win, no-fee basis. Essentially, you only pay a percentage of any successful claim, and owe us nothing and if your claim is unsuccessful.

Am I eligible? How do I start a claim?

If you are aware of a data breach with social services involving you or any of your dependents, then you most likely have a valid claim.

You will be able to see if your email flags any data breaches through that link, not just social services.

To make a claim, simply input your details into our form. We will do the administration and lawyer-finding for you. Remember, the specialist we find will be operating on a no win, no fee basis.

What is a Social Services Data Breach?

In the UK, organisations that process confidential information of people are named “data holders”. Under General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018, these holders are bound by law to put in place strict limitations on who can access the information, and when the information can even be manipulated by the company itself.

When an unauthorised person gains access to the data despite these protections, then this is considered a data breach. The term covers all information under the company’s protection and can be anything from your name to financial information. Considering that Social Services are organisations that promote the welfare of children and vulnerable people, you can probably imagine the amount of information stored is likely to be highly sensitive in nature.

To prove just how heavily breaches are penalised in the social work sector, an incident in 2012 saw a family receive graphic details of a child neglect case, including the accounts and circumstances of several other family members. As a result of that mistake, the Information Commissioner’s Office penalised the council in question £60,000.

Why use us?

Free Consultation

We offer a free data breach consultation to anyone who is looking to make a claim

No win, no fee

If your case or cases have no financial payout to you, you don’t pay a single penny

Data breach experts

We use dedicated data breach solicitors who have handled thousands of data breach claims

Peter is a solicitor who has worked as a professional litigator for 3 years. More recently Peter has specialised in data breach compensation claims and over the last 2.5 years has gained a wealth of knowledge in this sector. Peter now works with us to share his knowledge and inform the general public.

Peter Hammond, GDPR Solicitor

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really possible to make a data breach claim against social services?

Social services, just like any organisation that keeps your personal information, are obligated to keep it safe and not divulge that information to unauthorised parties. The type of information held by social services can often be highly sensitive and needs to remain confidential, especially when safeguarding issues are involved, and that is why any breach can be highly alarming and distressing. Even if there have been no material losses, it is still possible to claim compensation for non-material losses.

What do data protection laws say about social services sharing data?

While social services are ordinarily required to keep any personal data they store securely, there are some circumstances where they are permitted by UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act to share data with specific agencies. Police, health or education organisations are among those under data protection law with whom data may be shared when the situation requires it, but correct procedures still need to be followed to ensure it does not end up in the wrong hands.

How might social services data breaches occur?

Data breaches can occur for a number of reasons. While hacking or cyber attacks can be responsible for some data breaches, the most common are often due to human error. An email in which the sender has forwarded multiple confidential documents might be sent by social workers to the wrong address, or a personal email account address may be shared due to a failure to blind copy ‘bcc’ multiple recipients of an email. In some instances, documents containing sensitive personal data might be sent to a physical address that is incorrect.

If this information relates to medical details, vulnerable children, financial details, or other highly sensitive personal information, then the potential for harm and distress could be greater. This could mean that the amount of compensation involved would likely be greater.

How will I know if my data has been leaked by social services?

If a leak of your personal data held by social services has occurred, they are legally required to inform you promptly about the personal data breach. Typically, you will be informed by the local authority that has experienced a breach by email or letter, so you should retain that. Where a significant breach has taken place, especially one involving potentially sensitive personal data, the organisation responsible is required to inform the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Is there a time limit on making social services data breach claims?

You will normally have six years from the time you were first made aware of the social service breach to make a claim. This time period will usually start from the point where social services contacted you to inform you about the breach.

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Lovely supportive team! Sarah is brilliant, she helped me get through a tough period, always stayed in contact with me and referred me to the best of people resulting in an excellent outcome. Highly recommend!

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They dealt professionally and quickly with our data breach compensation claim. The staff went above and beyond our expectations and were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely use again.