Civil/crime news: digital go-live for subject access requests
Requests for personal information can be made through new digital service.
A new digital service allowing individuals to request personal information is now available which aims to improve the user experience for subject access requests (SARs).
The process allows individuals to request information held by the Legal Aid Agency and other parts of the Ministry of Justice.
The service is open to all solicitors and members of the public who wish to request personal information.
Digital service trial
A pilot for the new service was run towards the end of 2021 with a small group, which included legal aid practitioners.
The pilot was run by the Ministry of Justice, which manages the SAR process. During the pilot:
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improvements were made to the efficiency of the process – requests made through the digital form were accepted as valid 81% of the time
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two-thirds of solicitors surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the new request process
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responding to feedback, online content explaining the service was updated to make it clearer for everyone
How do we find the service?
Request personal information– to access the digital service