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ARTICLE · 03 JUNE 2026

Dealing With Data Protection Complaints

Shepherd and Wedderburn
Shepherd and Wedderburn
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Starting June 19, UK data protection law introduces a mandatory requirement for organisations to establish internal complaint procedures before individuals can escalate issues to the Information Commissioner's Office. This procedural shift aims to reduce the ICO's complaint backlog while placing greater responsibility...

United KingdomPrivacy
Joanna Boag-Thomson
Joanna Boag-Thomson
Joseph Fitzgibbon
Joseph Fitzgibbon
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19 June sees a small but significant amendment to data protection law come into force. As of that date, organisations are required to have a procedure in place for dealing with data protection complaints.

In a move to try and address the backlog of complaints with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) there will be a requirement to first raise a complaint with the organisation itself before the ICO will consider the complaint. The ICO will require evidence that the data subject has sought to address their issue directly with the organisation before contacting them. In fact, the complaint procedures on the ICO website already reflect this.

What does this mean for organisations?

Many organisations will already have a complaints procedure in place and so will be able to adapt this to take account of data protection complaints.

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