Your personal information is valuable, so you should treat it just as you would any valuable item. By following the advice and tips in our personal information toolkit, you will be able to check information held about you is correct, reduce unwanted marketing and help stop your information from falling easily into the wrong hands.
Personal Information Toolkit (PDF)
Personal Information Toolkit (HTML)
With crimes like identity theft increasing, it is even more important for you to safeguard your information.
Every day, you will give out your personal information in some way or another. However, although most of the personal information stored about you will provide benefits like better medical care and financial reassurance, it also brings dangers. If your personal information is wrong, out of date or not held securely, it can cause problems. You could be unfairly refused a job, benefits or credit, or a place at college. In extreme cases you could be a victim of identity theft or arrested for a crime you did not commit.
The Data Protection Act gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets rules to make sure organisations handle your information properly. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations set out rules for people who wish to send electronic direct marketing, for example emails and text messages.
To request a hard copy of the personal information toolkit, go to request publications.
You can find out more about your rights under the Data Protection Act.
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