Simplifying subject access requests – new SARs guidance

The right of access is a fundamental right under data protection law. And it has never been more necessary. In a world where personal data is used almost everywhere – by everyone – it is vital that people have the right to be able to find out what’s happening to their information.

More and more people are waking up to the power of their personal data and are exercising their rights. That is why, as an organisation, it is important that you know how to deal with a subject access request (SAR) effectively and efficiently.

Since lockdown in March 2020 there has been much greater appetite for support and clarification on some aspects of the law that are not so clear-cut.

It showed how seriously organisations take their data protection obligations, and how the recent circumstances such as working from home and an increase in redundancies has seen a rise in the number of access requests raised.

The ICO has put together a list of recent changes to make the handling of SARs simpler, including:

  1. Stopping the clock for clarification – seeking clarification on requests often doesn’t leave enough time to respond. As a result, the ICO’s new position is that, in certain circumstances, the clock can be stopped whilst organisations are waiting for the requester to clarify their request.
  2. What is a manifestly excessive request? – to combat confusion over when to class a request as manifestly excessive, the ICO has now provided additional guidance to help and broadened its definition. See here
  3. What can be included when charging a fee for excessive, unfounded, or repeat requests? – the ICO received a lot of feedback relating to this question and they have updated their guidance! See here

Hopefully the new guidance is going to be useful for organisations across the board, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it will give them more insight into how to deal with SARs and access the information they need quickly and easily.

The right of access is a cornerstone of data protection law and good SAR compliance instils trust and confidence. That’s why it’s essential that organisations get this right, because people’s trust in how organisations use their personal data plays a role in their overall confidence and support for your services.

We’re here to help with any and all questions relating to SARs and we have set up the SAR Bureau to help with any additional support your business may need.