Capita data breach compensation: How to claim

If you have been affected by the Capita data breach, our specialist data breach solicitors at Hayes Connor can help. Our industry-leading experience and expertise will help you to secure the compensation you deserve. To register your interest in Capita data breach compensation please fill in our simple online enquiry form.

Details of a cyber-attack that took place against Capita in March 2023 have recently come to light, with the personal data of millions of individuals potentially being at risk.

The attack, which targeted Capita’s servers, has led to multiple organisations reporting breaches of personal information which was held by the outsourcing company. At the end of May, media coverage of the incident noted that 90 organisations had filed data breach reports to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in relation to the Capita data breach of 2023.

A statement from the ICO confirmed this, which read: “We are receiving a large number of reports from organisations directly affected by these incidents and we are currently making inquiries.

“We are encouraging organisations that use Capita’s services to check their own position regarding these incidents and determine if the personal data they hold has been affected. If necessary, consider reporting a data breach to the ICO and we will use this information to inform our next steps.”

Employees from well-established companies such as Marks and Spencer, WH Smith, British Coal, Hanson Cement and the Environment Agency are among those who have been affected by the Capita data breach in 2023.

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) believe that the Capita data breach may have affected around 470,000 members of their pension scheme. As a result, it is thought that the following data may have been exposed for their members:

• Names
• Dates of birth
• National Insurance numbers
• Pension Member numbers and retirement dates

It has also been made apparent that former and present employees of Capita, whose pension is provided by Atlas, may have been affected by the data breach. The personal information relating to Capita employees is even more extensive, potentially including:

• Names
• Dates of birth
• Gender
• Marital status
• National Insurance numbers
• Full addresses
• Email addresses
• Salaries
• Employment details and history
• Pension scheme membership information

If your personal information has been exposed in the Capita data breach, you may be in a position to make a claim for compensation. This is something the team at Hayes Connor can help you with, so please get in touch if you are interested in making a Capita data breach claim.

We have a dedicated team of data breach specialists who are ready to support anyone who may have been affected by the Capita data breach. When instructed, our team will be able to provide tailored guidance on whether you will be in a position to make a claim and what the Capita data breach compensation process will involve.

To find out more about how you can make a compensation claim for the Capita data breach, please fill in our online enquiry form.

What to do if you are concerned about the Capita data breach

If your personal information has been exposed in any type of data breach, including the Capita data breach, you should be properly informed by your employer, or the responsible company. Unfortunately, there have been many instances where employers have failed to notify their employees about the details of a data breach, which means it is not a guarantee that you will receive the correct notification.

If you have not been contacted by your employer and you are concerned that your information has been exposed in the Capita data breach, you should get in touch with them as soon as possible.

You should also remain vigilant of any unexpected communications. This is especially if they appear to be from your employer, or the company responsible for losing your data. They could be phishing attacks which are specifically designed to extract further personal information from you.

There are various ways to reduce the potential risk of cybercriminals using your personal data against you. If you would like to learn more about this, please read our helpful guide on what to do if your data has been stolen in a data breach.

If your data has been stolen in the Capita data breach, making a claim for compensation may be possible. This is where our data breach experts at Hayes Connor will be able to support you, talking you through your right to Capita data breach compensation and then guiding you through the whole claims process.

Who hacked Capita?

The Capita cyber breach in March 2023 was carried out by ransomware group Black Basta. The group hacked Capita’s Office 365 software, using this to gain access to personal data belonging to Capita staff and dozens of the company’s clients.

The breach was “interrupted” by Capita, “significantly restricting” the impact of the attack, according to a statement on Capita’s website. The company also says that it has now taken “extensive steps” to recover and secure the data contained on the compromised server.

Is my Capita pension safe?

While there is currently no evidence that data accessed in the Capita pension hack has allowed the hackers direct access to people’s pensions, there is a risk from pension scams. The cybercriminals could potentially use the information they have to contact individual pension holders and attempt to convince them to take actions such as transferring their pension funds to a different account, which is controlled by the hackers.

In order to keep their pensions safe, anyone who has been affected by the Capita security breach should be especially careful to verify that anyone contacting them about their pension is genuine. It is strongly advised not to move funds or give anyone access to your account without first contacting the relevant company on their publicly available phone number to check their credentials.

How many people have been affected by the Capita data breach?

While there is no publicly available confirmed number of people affected by the Capita data breach, around 90 companies were affected, many of whom have thousands of employees and some who have hundreds of thousands. It is therefore possible that a very substantial number of people’s personal data has been compromised.

If your data was put at risk during the Capita data breach, then you should have been contacted by the company to let you know. This is a legal requirement under the rules for data protection in the UK. However, phone calls and emails can easily be missed, so if you are concerned that your data could have been involved in the breach, we recommend contacting your pension provider directly for your peace of mind.

Can I get compensation for the Capita data breach?

If your data was put at risk, then there is a strong likelihood that you will be entitled to compensation for the Capita data breach. Exactly how much compensation you may be able to secure will depend on the situation, but it is important to understand that you do not necessarily need to be able to show that you suffered any losses to be able to claim.

If you have suffered specific losses, including financially, as well as in terms of other impacts such as stress, then the compensation you may be able to claim could be substantial. You should speak to a data breach specialist at an early stage to make sure you understand your rights and have a realistic idea of what you may be entitled to.

The team at Hayes Connor are leading experts in data breach claims, so will be happy to advise you on your rights with regard to Capita data leak compensation. If we feel you do have grounds to compensation and you wish to proceed, we can then guide you through the whole process of making a Capita data breach claim.

How Hayes Connor can help you claim compensation for the Capita data breach

Any company that stores and processes your personal data is legally obligated to keep it secure. This includes taking the appropriate measures to prevent any cyber-attacks from taking place which could result in your data falling into the wrong hands.

At Hayes Connor, we have one of the largest teams of data breach specialists in the country. Our team have a wealth of combined experience and expertise which we use to support individuals who have been affected by all types of data breaches, including the Capita data breach.

Our team can work alongside you to establish a clear understanding of your personal circumstances and how the Capita data breach has affected you and your family. From here, we can then establish whether you will be able to make a claim for Capita data breach compensation and explain how the claims process will work.

Learning that your personal data has been compromised in a data breach can be a very stressful experience. As such, we will take the time to provide close personal support during this time, making the process for a Capita data breach claim as clear and straightforward as possible.

You can find out more about our expertise and how we handle data breach claims here.

To start a claim for Capita data breach compensation, you can use our online claim form.

To speak to a member of our team about making a Capita data breach claim, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0330 041 5135.