Legal Aid Agency data breach potentially affects hundreds of thousands of people

It was recently reported that the Legal Aid Agency suffered a data breach where more than two million pieces of information were taken. This data breach could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of people, including domestic abuse victims, those in family cases, people at risk of losing their homes and those facing criminal prosecution.

In a statement released on the Gov.UK website, the Legal Aid Agency and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) stated that they had suffered a cyber-attack where the group responsible had accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who had applied for legal aid through their digital service since 2010. As a result, they have now shut their online system down and are investigating the incident.

If you have been affected by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) data breach, you could be entitled to compensation. Having your data stolen can be an incredibly distressing experience and can leave you at risk of identity theft, fraud, financial losses and reputational damage. Claiming compensation can go some way in helping you to move on from the incident and recoup any potential losses you may have faced.

Read on to find out more about the Legal Aid Agency data breach and how you can go about claiming compensation if you have been affected.

What is the Legal Aid Agency (LAA)?

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an executive government agency sponsored by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). It provides individuals in England and Wales with civil and criminal legal aid and advice to help with legal problems.

They ensure that legal aid services from solicitors, barristers and the not-for-profit sector are available to the general public, fund the Civil Legal Advice service, run the Public Defender Service to provide a range of services within the criminal defence market and also publish statistical information on legal aid and the Director of Legal aid Casework annual report.

What is the Legal Aid Agency data breach, and what happened?

According to their statement, on Wednesday, 23 April, the Legal Aid Agency became aware of a cyber-attack on their online digital services. These are the services that legal aid providers log their work and receive payment from the Government.

They state that following the discovery, they took immediate action to increase the security of the system and informed all legal aid providers that some of their details, including financial information, may be compromised.

On Friday, 16th May, they discovered the attack was more extensive than they originally thought and that the hackers had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants. They then stated that they believed the group responsible had accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through their digital service since 2010. According to the BBC, more than two million pieces of information were taken.

Sarah Sackman, the Ministry of Justice minister with responsibility for the administration of the legal aid regime, has claimed that the attack was made possible due to fragile IT systems resulting from “long years of neglect”.

What data was taken in the LAA data breach?

The Legal Aid Agency said they believed that the group accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through their digital service, dating back to 2010. They believe the data accessed may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments.

Who was affected by the Legal Aid Agency data breach?

Reportedly, anyone who applied for legal aid through the online system in the last 15 years could be affected. It is not yet known exactly how many people have been affected or who they are. Hopefully, the Legal Aid Agency and the Ministry of Justice will contact all individuals affected soon, but until then, it is unknown.

The president of the Law Society, Richard Atkinson, said:

“It is extremely concerning that members of the public have had their personal data compromised in this cybersecurity incident, and the LAA must get a grip on the situation immediately.”

“It is the LAA’s responsibility to contact all the legal aid applicants whose data has been compromised.”

As the data controller, it is the LAA’s responsibility to inform individuals whose personal data may have been affected by the breach. This public statement alone is no doubt concerning to individuals, as they aren’t sure whether or not they have been affected.  

Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Agency, said:

“I understand this news will be shocking and upsetting for people, and I am extremely sorry this has happened.”

“Since the discovery of the attack, my team has been working around the clock with the National Cyber Security Centre to bolster the security of our systems so we can safely continue the vital work of the agency.”

“However, it has become clear that to safeguard the service and its users, we needed to take radical action. That is why we’ve taken the decision to take the online service down.”

“We have put in place the necessary contingency plans to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time.”

“I am incredibly grateful to legal aid providers for their patience and cooperation at a deeply challenging time.”

We will provide further updates shortly.”

If you are concerned that your data may have been stolen during this breach, you should get in touch with the Legal Aid Agency. Their number is 0300 200 2020, and the relevant email address is dataprotection@justice.gov.uk.

What to do if you think you have been affected?

The LAA have encouraged anyone who has applied for legal aid during this period to take steps to safeguard themselves. Be alert for any suspicious activity, such as unknown messages or phone calls, and be extra vigilant to update any potentially exposed passwords.

If you are in doubt about any communication, you should always identify the person’s identity independently before sharing any information. For more help and guidance on how to protect yourself from the impact of data breaches, visit the National Cyber Security Centre.

If you have been affected by the Legal Aid Agency data breach, you could be entitled to compensation. Under the UK General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018, companies that gather and retain your personal information legally must keep this data safe and protected from potential threats like cyberattacks. If they don’t, you can make a civil claim against them for compensation.

How to claim compensation if you’ve been affected by the Legal Aid Agency data breach

If you think you may have been affected by the Legal Aid Agency data breach, you could be entitled to claim compensation. We suggest seeking the help of an experienced data protection solicitor, as they have a deep understanding of the relevant laws and regulations and can ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

Suffering from a data breach can be a very distressing experience. Knowing your personal data has been breached by strangers or criminals and could be shared without your authorisation can cause extreme distress and upset. As the data stolen in this data breach could be incredibly personal information from vulnerable individuals, the repercussions of this could be huge.

You can claim compensation for the distress suffered as well as for any potential financial losses suffered as a result of the breach. For example, if you have suffered identity theft or fraud as a result and have had money taken from you, you can claim this back, plus damages. The compensation you receive can go some way in helping you to move past the incident.

HNK Solicitors can help with your Legal Aid Agency data breach claim

HNK Solicitors has a team of dedicated data protection solicitors who are specialists in helping individuals claim compensation for data protection breaches. We can help you to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Our team has a successful track record of helping our clients obtain compensation after their data has been breached.

We offer free consultations to discuss the details of your case, and we can even take on cases on a no-win, no-fee basis. Get in touch with our team today on 0151 668 0814 or email us at enquiries@hnksolicitors.com. Alternatively, to start your claim right away, fill in the contact form on our website, and a member of our team will be in touch.