Section 165 Complaints by data subjects to the CommissionI1

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2)

A data subject may make a complaint to the F2Commission if the data subject considers that, in connection with personal data relating to him or her, there is an infringement of F3the UK GDPR or Part 3 or 4 of this Act.

(3)

The Commission must facilitate the making of complaints under subsection (2) by taking steps such as providing a complaint form which can be completed electronically and by other means.

(4)

If the Commission receives a complaint under subsection (2), the Commission must—

(a)

take appropriate steps to respond to the complaint,

(b)

inform the complainant of the outcome of the complaint,

(c)

inform the complainant of the rights under section 166, and

(d)

if asked to do so by the complainant, provide the complainant with further information about how to pursue the complaint.

(5)

The reference in subsection (4)(a) to taking appropriate steps in response to a complaint includes—

(a)

investigating the subject matter of the complaint, to the extent appropriate, and

(b)

informing the complainant about progress on the complaint, including about whether further investigation or co-ordination with F4a foreign designated authority is necessary.

(6)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(7)

In this section—

“foreign designated authority” means an authority designated for the purposes of Article 13 of the Data Protection Convention by a party, other than the United Kingdom, which is bound by that Convention;
F6...

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: S. 165(1) omitted (19.6.2026) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 103(3)(a), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 7)
F2: Word in s. 165(2)-(4) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(2)(3); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)
F3: Words in s. 165(2) inserted (19.6.2026) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 103(3)(b), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 3(a) (with reg. 7)
F4: Word in s. 165(5)(b) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 66(3) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F5: S. 165(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 66(4) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F6: Words in s. 165(7) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 66(5) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F7: Words in s. 165 heading inserted (19.6.2026) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), s. 142(1), Sch. 10 para. 19; S.I. 2026/82, reg. 3(b) (with reg. 7)
F8: Word in s. 165 heading substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(2)(3) (with reg. 1(5)); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)

Commencement

I1: S. 165 in force at 25.5.2018 by S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(f)