May has been another significant month across the world of group claims, consumer rights and data protection.
From major cyber incidents and competition claims to practical explainers and regulatory developments, we’ve continued focusing on what matters most: helping consumers understand what’s happening, what it could mean for them, and where to find reliable information without the jargon.
Here’s a look at what we’ve been working on this month.
Claim updates
Several major claims and investigations continued to develop throughout May.
Capita data breach claim
The legal action relating to the 2023 Capita cyberattack continues to move through the courts following a significant High Court ruling earlier this year.
Join the Claim is currently working with a partner law firm in relation to this claim, and we’re encouraging potentially affected individuals to check whether they may now be eligible to join the legal action — particularly if they were previously unable to sign up.
South Staffordshire Water data breach
The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined South Staffordshire Water and its parent company £963,900 following a cyberattack that exposed the personal data of more than 633,000 customers and employees. According to the regulator, attackers remained inside the company’s systems for almost 20 months before the breach was discovered.
We explained what the fine means in practice, what affected individuals should know, and why ICO penalties do not automatically result in compensation for consumers.
New claims to watch
We’ve been tracking a number of emerging claims and incidents. This month, we highlighted:
Microsoft cloud licence claim
A £2.1 billion UK competition claim against Microsoft cleared an early hurdle this month.
The case alleges that around 60,000 UK businesses were overcharged for using Windows Server on rival cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Alibaba Cloud. Microsoft denies the allegations and says it plans to appeal. Find out what it means for UK businesses.
Amazon Fire TV Stick lawsuit
We also highlighted legal action filed in California against Amazon over claims that older Fire TV Stick devices became slow, glitchy or effectively unusable after software support ended. While this is currently a US case rather than a UK action, it raises wider questions around digital products, software support and consumer expectations when technology products reach the end of their supported lifespan.
TELUS Digital breach
TELUS Digital has confirmed it is investigating unauthorised access to a limited number of systems. Hackers linked to ShinyHunters have claimed they stole a huge volume of data. You could be affected if your data was handled through TELUS Digital’s customer support or operational systems.
Rituals data breach
Rituals has confirmed a data breach affecting customer membership records. The company says there was an unauthorised download of member data, which may include names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, preferred stores and account types.
Canvas data breach
Canvas, the online learning platform used by universities and colleges, has been affected by a major cyberattack. Instructure, the company behind Canvas, has said stolen data was returned and deleted, but that doesn’t mean the risk has passed. Watch out for phishing emails, fake password reset messages and suspicious links. We’ll continue monitoring whether this leads to potential UK legal action.
Everything you need to know about joining a group action claim
Group litigation is becoming a bigger part of consumer justice in the UK.
From data breaches and emissions scandals to competition claims and financial misconduct, more people are hearing about “group actions” and wondering what they actually mean.
But for many, the process still feels confusing.
That’s exactly why we’ve published our new guide: Everything you need to know about joining a group action claim. The guide is designed to explain the process clearly, calmly, and without legal jargon. So people can make informed decisions before signing up to any claim.
Useful explainers to educate and inform
Alongside claim updates, we continued publishing practical explainers designed to help consumers better understand their rights, responsibilities and online safety.
May 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.
