Information Commissioner John Edwards is urging organisations to improve data protection for people in vulnerable situations as new figures reveal the scale of UK data theft.

Figures released by the Information Commissioner’s Office show nearly 30 million people in the UK have experienced a data breach. In total, 55% of UK adults reported having had their data lost or stolen, with 30% of them experiencing emotional distress as a result.

Yet, 25% said they received no support from the organisations responsible and 32% found out through the media rather than from the organisation itself.

Qualitative research conducted by the ICO also revealed experiences of people having to move homes, feeling forced out of their jobs and facing discrimination as a result of data breaches they had experienced.

People reportedly informed the ICO that they felt the real impact on their life was insufficiently recognised by the organisation responsible.

Edwards said people in vulnerable situations – such as survivors of domestic abuse and those living with long-term health conditions – are often disproportionately affected by such breaches.

These people may already be in precarious situations, and the unauthorised disclosure of their personal data can heighten the risks they face.

“There are two important things I need organisations to understand: empathy and action. You have a role to stop the negative ripple effect in someone’s life from spreading further,” Edwards said.

“It is vitally important to acknowledge what has happened, be human in your response and commit to making sure it doesn’t happen again.

“We trust organisations with some of the most sensitive personal information imaginable, yet these data breaches continue to happen. This is not just an admin error – it is about people. When data is mishandled, it can have serious and long-lasting consequences, particularly for people in vulnerable situations. We need organisations across the country to do better.”

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Adam Freedman, policy, research & influencing manager at National AIDS Trust, who worked with the ICO on ensuring that the harms of personal HIV data breaches are recognised and understood said: “The stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV is compounded by the additional distress caused by unlawful data breaches.

“We welcome the new guidance provided by the ICO and urge organisations to consider the very real human impact of mishandling someone’s personal information.”