April has been another month of steady developments across group claims, consumer rights and data security.
From emerging claims to ongoing litigation and practical guidance, we’ve focused on helping people stay informed and understand what these changes might mean in real terms.
Here’s what we’ve been working on this month.
New claims to watch
We’ve been tracking a number of emerging claims and incidents. This month, we highlighted:
UK Biobank data breach
One of the UK’s most important health research projects is under scrutiny after data linked to 500,000 participants was listed for sale online. The government has confirmed that information from the UK Biobank appeared on an Alibaba platform in China. While the data has now been taken down, the incident raises serious questions about how sensitive research data is accessed, shared and controlled.
So what actually happened, and how concerned should people be?
Apple and Amazon price fixing claim
A proposed group action has been filed in the UK against Apple and Amazon over the way Apple and Beats products were sold through Amazon’s marketplace. The case is seeking £900 million in compensation for around 10 million UK customers who bought iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and other Apple or Beats products since 2018.
You could be affected if you bought Apple or Beats products from any UK retailer.
Booking.com data breach
Booking.com has confirmed a data breach after “unauthorised parties” gained access to customer booking information. Affected customers have been contacted, and reservation PINs have been updated. Even if you haven’t been contacted directly, it’s sensible to assume your data could be at risk and take a few simple precautions.
Rightmove £1.5bn claim
A major legal claim, estimated to be worth up to £1.5bn, has now been formally filed against Rightmove. The case alleges that the UK’s largest property portal has abused its dominant position by charging estate agents and developers excessive and unfair subscription fees.
For thousands of agents across the UK, this moves the story from speculation to something very real. While you can’t currently sign up for updates with Join the Claim, this claim is worth paying attention to as the situation evolves.
Finding opt-out claims just got easier
Opt-out collective actions work differently from most group claims. In an opt-out case, you don’t need to sign up at the start of the case. Instead, if the claim succeeds or settles, there is usually a stage where people need to register to receive their share of the compensation.
But if you don’t hear about the claim, you miss that opportunity. That means large amounts of compensation can remain unclaimed, even when cases succeed.
There is currently no central public hub where consumers can easily see what opt-out collective actions exist in the UK.
Join the Claim is working to close that awareness gap by:
- Tracking major opt-out collective actions as they move through the courts
- Explaining what they mean in plain English
- Signposting people directly to official claim websites and reliable sources.
And we are now bringing this information together in one place so consumers can quickly check whether any cases might apply to them.
Following major developments in the emissions cheating case
Over 1.6 million drivers are currently involved in diesel emissions claims progressing through the High Court.
The cases centre around whether certain vehicles were sold with emissions that did not match what consumers were led to expect — raising wider concerns around fairness, air quality, and public health.
Some studies have estimated that excess diesel emissions may have contributed to thousands of premature deaths in the UK, along with widespread respiratory conditions such as asthma.
If you owned or leased a diesel vehicle between 2009 and 2020, it’s worth checking your eligibility. This currently applies to vehicles from: Nissan, Renault, Jaguar and Land Rover.
And, if you want to find out more about dieselgate, you can check out our handy explainer.
Useful explainers to educate and inform
In April, we continued to publish practical explainers alongside our claim updates. These guides break down complex topics in clear, everyday language so people can better understand their options and make informed decisions.
This month, we looked at:
April newsletter coming soon
Our monthly newsletter will be landing soon, bringing together:
- The latest claim updates
- Key legal developments
- Straightforward explainers.
If you want a quick round-up without the jargon, keep an eye on your inbox.
Want to explore any of the claims or guides mentioned above? Visit jointheclaim.com to see the latest updates and check what might apply to you.
Join the Claim connects consumers with SRA-regulated lawyers. Visit the claim page to check your eligibility if a claim is open with one of our trusted legal partners. If a group action has not yet been launched, you can register your interest and we’ll keep you informed if a partner firm decides to take a claim forward.
