The number of people at risk of personal data breaches has risen sharply again, with an estimated 16,600 individuals impacted in the first three months of 2026.
New figures from the Information Commissioner’s Office show 47 breaches were reported in Q4 of the 2025/26 financial year, up from 39 in Q3.
The figures mark a significant upward trend, with 800 people affected in Q1, 2,200 in Q2 and 12,000 in Q3.
Senior Compliance Officer Laura Doyle said the increase was driven by large-scale organisations introducing new technology systems.
“Data protection by design: make sure that data protection is integrated from the design and adoption phase rather than trying to add it on at the end,” she said.
The ICO issued two reprimands during Q4, including one to Manx Care for multiple breaches caused by the same type of error.
The Cabinet Office also reported a breach in January 2026 relating to annual canvass forms.
Seventy per cent of breaches came from the private sector, with 30 per cent from the public sector. Seventy per cent were reported within 72 hours, a drop from 92 per cent in Q3.