Information Commissioner’s Office letter is not a scam

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK regulator for data protection and information rights. In August 2021 they will be writing to organisations in our sector to remind them that they may have a legal responsibility to register with the ICO and pay the data protection fee. For most companies this is £35 or £55 per year when they pay by direct debit.

If you receive a letter, you should check if you need to pay and, if you believe you are exempt, you should let the ICO know by 10 September 2021. If you are not exempt, you will need to register through their website and pay the fee. Please note, if you use CCTV for crime prevention purposes it is likely that you will need to register.

There is more information on the ICO’s website: Paying a data protection fee – service activities.

They also have a web hub specifically designed for small and medium enterprises which has lots of tips and simple guides that you will find useful: SME web hub – advice for all small organisations | ICO