South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – Could You Claim Compensation?

In this guide, we will explore the steps you could take if you have been affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach. 

South Staffordshire Water Data Breach

South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – Could You Claim Compensation?

There are certain parties who have a responsibility to protect your personal data as per data protection law. These are known as data controllers, those who set the purpose for processing, and data processors, those who act on behalf of the controller. We will explore the responsibilities controller’s and processor’s have further in our guide as well as whether you could be eligible to pursue a data breach claim if they failed to uphold their responsibilities.

There are certain eligibility criteria that need to be met in order for you to have valid grounds to begin a personal data breach claim. You can learn more about these as you move through our guide.

Additionally, you can find information on the data breach compensation you could be awarded should you make a successful claim and how settlements can be calculated.

Furthermore, this guide will discuss the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor and the services they could offer.

For more information, you can get in touch with an advisor from our team. They can offer free advice and answer any questions you may have regarding your potential data breach claim. To reach them, you can:

Browse Our Guide

  1. South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – Could You Claim Compensation?
  2. What Was The South Staffs Water Cyber Attack?
  3. What Steps Can You Take If You Were Affected By The South Staffordshire Water Data Breach?
  4. Possible Compensation Payouts For A Data Breach
  5. How Could A No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitor Help You?
  6. Related Data Breach Claim Guides

South Staffordshire Water Data Breach – Could You Claim Compensation?

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) set out the responsibilities that data controller’s and data processor’s have to protect your personal data. 

Personal data is any information that can be used to identify you as a living person. This can include your name, postal address, email address, phone number and credit card and debit card details. Additionally, there is another type of personal data that requires extra protection as it is sensitive in nature. This is known as special category data and can include data concerning your health and data revealing information about your racial or ethnic origin.

A breach of your personal data is defined as a security incident in which the integrity, availability and confidentiality of your personal data is affected.

If there was a failure on the part of a controller or processor to adhere to data protection law and this caused a breach in which your personal data was compromised which then led to you experiencing either financial loss or psychological damage, you may be eligible to seek data breach compensation.

Time Limits For Data Breach Claims

In addition to proving your case meets the criteria laid out above, you also need to start your data breach claim within the limitation period. This is generally 6 years. In cases where the claim is against a public body, the time limit is reduced to 1 year.

For more information on when you could be eligible to make a personal data breach claim and how long you have to start legal proceedings, get in touch using the number above.

What Was The South Staffs Water Cyber Attack?

In August 2022, South Staffordshire PLC, the parent company of South Staffs Water, was subject to a criminal cyber attack.

Hackers gained access to the sort codes, account numbers, names and addresses of account holders that are used for Direct Debit payments.

The company said they were liaising with the National Crime Agency and have informed the relevant regulatory bodies. 

If you have evidence that you were affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach, please get in touch with an advisor. They can discuss the next steps you could potentially take.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-63809829

What Steps Can You Take If You Were Affected By The South Staffordshire Water Data Breach?

There are several steps you could take after being affected by a personal data breach. For example:

  • Keeping a record of any correspondence between yourself and the organisation. This could include emails or letters providing details on how the breach occurred and what personal data of yours was compromised. 
  • Having an assessment for any psychological harm you experienced as a result of the breach and keeping hold of any records. 
  • Keeping track of any financial harm sustained due to the breach via receipts, invoices, credit card or debit card statements or credit score reports.

Additionally, you could make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). They could choose to investigate your complaint. If they do, you could use their findings as evidence to support your potential claim. However, it is important to note that the ICO cannot award compensation.

For more information on the steps you could take if you have evidence that the South Staffordshire Water data breach affected you, get in touch with an advisor.

Possible Compensation Payouts For A Data Breach

Data breach settlements following a successful claim can comprise compensation for the different ways you have been affected. Firstly, compensation can be awarded for the emotional harm you experienced due to the breach. This is referred to as non-material damage and can include:

In the table below, we have included guideline compensation amounts. These are from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which is often used by legal professionals when valuing this aspect of your settlement.

However, these figures are not a reflection of what you will receive following a successful claim. Instead, they should be used as a guide because each settlement is calculated based on the unique circumstances of a claim.

Harm Type Severity Level Compensation Bracket – Guideline
Mental Harm Severe £54,830 to £115,730
Mental Harm Moderately Severe £19,070 to £54,830
Mental Harm Moderate £5,860 to £19,070
Mental Harm Less Severe £1,540 to £5,860
Anxiety Disorder Severe £59,860 to £100,670
Anxiety Disorder Moderately Severe £23,150 to £59,860
Anxiety Disorder Moderate £8,180 to £23,150
Anxiety Disorder Less Severe £3,950 to £8,180

Can Compensation Be Awarded For Material Damage?

You can also receive compensation for the financial losses you experienced due to the personal data breach. This is referred to as material damage and can include:

  • Money stolen from your account
  • Loans taken out in your name
  • An impact on your credit score

An advisor from our team can provide you with a personalised estimate as to how much compensation you may be owed should you make a successful claim.

How Could A No Win No Fee Data Breach Solicitor Help You?

A No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel can offer several services to benefit you and your claim. For example, they can help you gather evidence to strengthen your case and ensure your claim is brought forward within the relevant time limit.

Additionally, they can offer their services under a particular kind of contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This typically means that you are usually not required to pay for the services provided by your solicitor upfront or while your claim is ongoing. Also, under a CFA, payment for your solicitor’s services is not required if your claim is unsuccessful.

Upon the completion of a successful claim, your solicitor will take a percentage of your settlement. However, this is subject to a legislative cap meaning you can keep the majority of your compensation. 

To learn whether you could begin a claim with a data protection solicitor from our panel, you can get in touch with an advisor. They can assess your case for free and determine whether you could have valid grounds to pursue compensation. If you do, they could connect you with a solicitor from our panel.

For more information, you can:

Related Data Breach Claim Guides

Below, we have provided more of our guides relating to data breach claims:

We have also included some additional external resources that may benefit you: 

Thank you for reading this guide on the steps you could take if you have evidence that you were affected by the South Staffordshire Water data breach. For any other information, please get in touch using the details provided above.

Article by EA

Publisher EI