Data breach incidents recorded by English local councils have risen by 53% over the past five years, according to new research based on freedom of information (FOI) requests.
Analysis of FOI data from 78 of England's largest local councils found that referrals to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) – covering the most serious breaches – climbed 41% over the same period. In the most recent reporting year, those councils collectively logged 16,902 incidents and 305 ICO referrals.
