CSA 'breaking data protection rules'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of people have complained to the Data Protection Registrar that Child Support Agency staff have been wrongly handling and disclosing confidential and sensitive material.
The disclosure that 400 complaints have been lodged with the Registrar - the biggest against any single body - comes the day after the National Audit Office criticised the CSA for getting more than half its maintenance assessments wrong.
Yesterday, Elizabeth France, the Data Protection Registrar, said that in order to assess maintenance payments, staff at the CSA had been revealing personal and financial material about one partner to the other, which under data protection legislation they should not.
Most of the complaints centred on the disclosure of personal and financial information about a second partner to the first. She said: "I recognise the particularly difficult balance which needs to be struck when sensitive personal information is being shared in order to ensure proper decisions have been taken. However my concern is that every disclosure of information by the CSA should be properly justified."
Yesterday, launching her annual report, she said that complaints against the CSA now made up 7 per cent of her office's work. But the bulk of the 3,000 complaints a year - about 32 per cent - remained incorrect credit references.
Much of the registrar's work includes ensuring government policy does not impinge on people's rights to privacy and Ms France said she was in consultation with the Home Office over its plans to get teachers, health administrators, and benefit and housing officials to inform on suspected illegal immigrants.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments