A Guide To South Staffordshire Water Data Breach
This guide will look at the potential steps you could take if your personal information was affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach. We will explain some of the topics it could be useful to know, such as the data breach claim time limits. We’ll also discuss evidence that could support a case and how data breach compensation payouts are calculated.
Additionally, we’ll provide information about the benefits of using a No Win No Fee agreement to get legal assistance. This type of agreement could allow you to work with a solicitor without paying for their services upfront.
For information about eligibility to claim if a water company data breach occurred and compromised your personal data, keep reading. Also, our advisers are available at any time that would be most convenient for you. They can give you a free consultation, so learn more today by:
- Completing our ‘Contact Us’ form
- Calling 0161 696 9685
- Talking to an adviser using the Live Chat option below
Choose A Section
- South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – When Could You Claim Compensation?
- Types Of Data Breaches
- South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – What Happened?
- Data Breach Compensation Settlements
- Get Advice On No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims
- Learn More About Data Breach Compensation Claims
South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – When Could You Claim Compensation?
Together, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) work to protect how personal data is used.
According to the UK GDPR, a personal data breach is a security incident that constitutes accidental or unlawful destruction, alteration, loss, unauthorised disclosure or access to an individual’s personal data. This legislation also defines personal data as information that can be used to identify a living person alone or when combined with other data. For example, this kind of information could include your:
- Name
- Physical address
- Email address
To claim for a breach of your personal data, you must be able to show that a responsible entity did not act in accordance with the laws mentioned above. An organisation called the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which makes sure data rights are upheld, helpfully summarises the UK GDPR’s definition of these entities:
- A data controller makes decisions regarding personal data, such as which data to collect and why.
- A data processor acts solely on the instructions of a data controller, processing the data on their behalf.
Sometimes, controllers and processors can be the same company or body.
You may be able to claim when you can show your personal data was breached because a data controller or processor failed to uphold data protection laws and this caused you harm. Speak to our advisers to learn more about how customers could potentially be affected by the South Staffs Water data breach.
Data Breach Claim Limitation Periods
There is a time limit in place for data breach claims. You typically have 6 years to begin a claim. However, this changes to 1 year when you claim against a public body. If you have questions about time limits, call our advisers and ask about the process behind making a data breach compensation claim.
Types Of Data Breaches
Broadly speaking, a data breach can be considered a cyber incident or a non-cyber incident. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) considers it a cyber incident if it involves a breach or attempted access of a system’s security policy to affect accessibility or integrity.
To illustrate, an accidental data breach could involve:
- A company sending a bill to the wrong postal address or wrong email address, despite having the correct address on record.
- An employee of a company loses a memory stick that contains customer files allowing their credit and debit card information to be compromised.
- An employee accidentally wipes the data held on a server, making it impossible to access personal data because files have been lost.
When claiming compensation for a data breach, it is important to show how a data controller or processor did not uphold data protection laws. Speak to our advisers if you have questions about claiming for a breach of your personal data.
South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – What Happened?
South Staffordshire PLC, the parent company of South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water, has been affected by a cyber attack in August 2022. Customers’ personal data may have been exposed, such as names, addresses, sort codes and account numbers.
Speak to our advisers if you have questions about the potential steps you could take if your personal data was affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-63809829
Data Breach Compensation Settlements
Compensation for a data breach can include up to two heads of claim, which reflect two different aspects of harm. The first is intended to compensate you for the non-material damage you suffer as a result of the incident. For example, this could include stress, anxiety caused by a data breach, or mental health problems made worse by a data breach.
To assess how much compensation you could receive for this head of a claim, a solicitor will usually check the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document contains compensation brackets for various forms of harm and their severities.
bb We’ve provided a table showing some of the non-material damage you could conceivably experience due to a personal data breach. However, please remember that these figures are intended only as guidance. This is because compensation is calculated based on your exact circumstances, which could vary from the JCG brackets shown below.
Examples Of Compensation For Non-Material Damage
| Non-Material Harm | Severity of Harm | JCG Brackets | Further Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Psychological Harm | Severe | £54,830 to £115,730 | Individual experiences marked problems in relation to personal relationships, work, education, and overall prognosis is poor. |
| (b) Psychological Harm | Moderately Severe | £19,070 to £54,830 | The individual experiences significant problems in relation to the elements described above, though prognosis is more optimistic. |
| (c) Psychological Harm | Moderate | £5,860 to £19,070 | Individual may have experienced some issues with the elements described above, though prognosis is good. |
| (d) Psychological Harm | Less Severe | £1,540 to £5,860 | This award will consider how long the individual has experienced a psychological disability. |
| (a) Anxiety Disorder | Severe | £59,860 to £100,670 | The individual suffers permanent effects that prevent them from working at any level approaching their pre-trauma abilities. |
| (b) Anxiety Disorder | Moderately Severe | £23,150 to £59,860 | Effects that are likely to cause long-term issues, though prognosis is better with assistance from a professional. |
| (c) Anxiety Disorder | Moderate | £8,180 to £23,150 | Individual has largely recovered and ongoing effects will not grossly disable them. |
| (d) Anxiety Disorder | Less Severe | £3,950 to £8,180 | Only minor symptoms persist after 1-2 years. |
Additionally, your compensation could benefit from a second head of claim intended to reimburse you for the material harm you experience. Material harm is any financial damage you’ve experienced, such as:
- Money stolen from your bank account
- Loans taken out in your name
- Damage done to your credit score.
Contact our team of advisers to learn more about how a data breach payout could compensate you for the harm you experienced.
Get Advice On No Win No Fee Data Breach Claims
Though you don’t need a solicitor to start a data breach claim, you could benefit from the services they offer. They can bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the process.
Furthermore, the data breach solicitors on our panel may be able to offer you a particular kind of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). By agreeing to this set of terms, you don’t have to pay for the solicitor’s services if your claim fails.
Instead, the solicitor would take a success fee at the end of the claim, but only if it succeeds. This fee is taken as a percentage of your compensation, but it’s subject to a legislative cap, so you always receive the majority of your award.
Discuss Your Claim With Our Team
If you are considering claiming for a breach of your personal data, it could be worth speaking to our team first. The free consultation provided by our advisers offers you a way to ask questions about the claims process. This conversation is obligation-free, so you can get the information you may need without feeling pressured to start a claim. You can learn more today by:
- Completing our ‘Contact Us’ form
- Calling 0161 696 9685
- Talking to an adviser using the Live Chat option below
Learn More About Data Breach Compensation Claims
For more guides, we’ve written:
Frequently Asked Questions On Data Breach Claims (FAQ)
I Suffered A Text Message Data Breach, How Do I Claim?
Lost Records Can I Make A Data Breach Claim?
External resources you may find useful:
For The Public – Information from the ICO about data protection rights
Make A Complaint – Government webpage exploring what you can do if you think your data is being misused
Data Breaches – Guidance from the NCSC about how you, your family, and individuals can protect yourselves against data breaches
We hope this guide has provided useful information about the potential steps you could take if your personal data has been affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach. If you still have questions, contact our team using the details we’ve provided above.