The ICO received over 15,000 complaints relating to Subject Access Requests (SARs) from April 2022 to March 2023.

Elanor McCombe, Policy Group Manager at the ICO, commented that "many employers are misunderstanding the nature of subject access requests, or underestimating the importance of responding to requests".

To better assist businesses and employers, the ICO have published guidance for employers alongside an explanatory blog.

Subject Access Requests can be difficult to navigate for businesses and employers and knowing which information to include in a SAR can be tricky.

Originally published 26 May 2023.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.