News Item: Legal Requirement to Pay ICO Protection Fee

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been writing to companies to remind them of their legal responsibility to pay a data protection fee. Below outlines the importance of this fee. 

It's the law to pay the data protection fee which funds the ICO's work, but also impacts business reputation. Paying the fee, and therefore being listed on ICO's register of payers shows that your business takes data protection seriously. 

If you hold customers' names, addresses or phone numbers, you are processing personal information and may need to pay. There are not many situations where you would be exempt, however, you can check here www.ico.org.uk/fee-checker 

The fee for most companies is between £40 and £60 per year. For larger organisations it costs £2,900. If you need to pay and don’t, you may be fined. 

Below are copies of the letters sent out by the ICO.

• Below £5m company letter
  
• Over £5m company letter

Help for small organisations can be found here. Alternatively, for general information on what to do, click here.