The recent Gateshead Council data breach highlights a worrying issue – why are so many local councils failing to protect sensitive personal data? Despite strict regulations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), breaches continue to occur, leaving residents at risk of identity theft, fraud, and privacy violations.
As councils store vast amounts of personal and financial information, including council tax records, housing details, medical records, and employment data, they have a legal duty to protect this information. However, as the latest breach at Gateshead Council demonstrates, many councils are still failing to meet basic data protection standards.
Gateshead Council breach history
This is not the first time Gateshead Council has faced scrutiny over its handling of sensitive data. In 2018, multiple breaches were reported, including:
- Personal and medical data being uploaded to an online forum
- Over 50 residents having their council tax arrears information exposed
- Sensitive reports being sent to incorrect addresses or recipients.
These serious incidents highlight systemic failures in Gateshead Council’s data security processes. The fact breaches have continued in 2025 raises concerns about whether the council has learned from past mistakes.
Council data protection issues
Like many local authorities, Gateshead Council faces significant challenges when it comes to securing personal data. However, none of these justify repeated data protection failures.
Some of the challenges faced by councils across the UK include:
Volume of data
Local councils store and process huge amounts of personal information, including:
- Names, addresses, and contact details of residents
- Financial information, including council tax records and benefits data
- Sensitive personal data, such as medical records and social care details.
The sheer volume of data increases the risk of local council GDPR failures, particularly if proper security measures are not in place.
Resource constraints
Many councils operate on tight budgets, making investment in cybersecurity a challenge.
- Outdated IT systems may not have the necessary security protections
- Lack of specialist cybersecurity staff means threats may not be detected in time
- Employee training on data security may be inadequate, leading to human errors.
While budget constraints are a reality, they should not be an excuse for failing to comply with GDPR and protect personal data.
Complex systems
Councils rely on a mix of new and legacy IT systems, which do not always integrate smoothly. This can create cybersecurity issues in local councils:
- Security vulnerabilities hackers can exploit
- Data-sharing mistakes, where sensitive information is sent to the wrong recipients
- Difficulties in quickly detecting breaches, allowing cybercriminals to cause more damage.
If local councils are handling vast amounts of sensitive data, they must prioritise cybersecurity investment and modernise their systems to prevent avoidable data breaches.
Councils have had years to comply with GDPR – why are breaches still happening?
GDPR came into effect in 2018. This gave councils a clear legal framework to follow when handling personal and sensitive data.
Under GDPR, councils must ensure that:
- Adequate security measures are in place to protect personal information.
- Staff are properly trained in handling sensitive data.
- Incident response plans are established to detect and contain breaches quickly.
Yet, more than five years later, many local authorities continue to experience major breaches. When councils fail to meet these legal requirements, they must be held accountable – especially when their negligence puts residents and staff at risk.
Claim Gateshead Council data breach compensation
If your personal data was compromised in the Gateshead Council data breach, you may be entitled to compensation.
Data breaches can cause:
- Emotional distress from the loss of privacy.
- Financial fraud and identity theft risks.
- Long-term consequences, such as your data being sold on the dark web.
Join the Gateshead Council data breach claim today to hold the council accountable and seek compensation for their failure to protect your information.
Check your eligibility now – it only takes a few minutes.
