Research and analysis

DCMS privacy notice: cyber security breaches survey 2026/2027

Updated 7 August 2026

This notice sets out how we will process your personal data, and your rights. It is made under Articles 13 and/or 14 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).  

Cyber security breaches survey 2026/2027, which surveys businesses and charities about their cyber security, is conducted by Ipsos Ltd. (Ipsos) on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is the data controller of this survey, which was initially conceived by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and the Home Office (HO).

1. Your data 

For the purposes of this survey, the data processor will process your name, telephone number, email address, postal address. 

Where personal data has not been obtained from the data subject  

For charities based in Scotland that are contacted for this survey, personal data was obtained by Ipsos from the Office of the Scottish Charities (OSCR) for the purposes of inviting you to participate in this survey. 

All other processing of personal data for this survey will be done by Ipsos. Ipsos will then provide DCMS and/or HO with completely anonymised survey responses for analysis and quality assurance purposes as well as notes and reports. 

2. Purpose 

The purpose(s) for which we are processing your personal data is:  

• to allow our contracted partner, Ipsos, to invite you to participate in this Cyber Security Breaches Survey

3. Legal basis of processing  

The legal basis for processing your personal data under Article 6 of the UK GDPR is:  

1(e)Public task: Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller, which entails understanding the cyber attacks and cyber crimes experienced by UK businesses, charities and educational institutions, and their policies, processes and approach to cyber security. 

4. Recipients 

Your personal data will not be shared by Ipsos with other parties.  

5. Retention  

Your personal data will be retained to the end of March 2027. 

6. Automated decision making 

Your personal data will not be subject to automated decision making.  

7. International transfers  

Your personal data will be processed in the UK. 

8. Your rights 

You have the right to request information about how your personal data are processed, and to request a copy of that personal data.  

You have the right to request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay.  

You have the right to request that any incomplete personal data are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement.  

You have the right to request that your personal data are erased if there is no longer a justification for them to be processed.  

You have the right in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted.  

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. 

9. Contact details 

You can contact the DCMS data protection officer at:  

DCMS Data Protection Officer  
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport 
100 Parliament Street  
London  
SW1A 2BQ 

Email: dpo@dcms.gov.uk 

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data, please write to the department’s data protection officer in the first instance using the contact details above.  

10. Complaints 

If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an UK independent regulator.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:  

Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/  

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.  

11. Updates to this notice 

If this privacy notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we will share it with other parties. The ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. 

If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, we will take reasonable steps to let you know. 

Last updated: 06 August 2026