Deadline to register for data handling work

The DPA deals with data breaches

Businesses in Guernsey which process personal data have to register with the Data Protection Authority (DPA) by the end of next month.

Small businesses and sole traders based in the island have to pay a fee to the DPA if they work with personal data which might identity individuals such as staff, clients, business contacts or tenants.

The registration window opened this month and the fee has gone up for the first time since 2021.

In 2023 the DPA said it dealt with 151 personal data breaches and 56 complaints against local data controllers.

Free flow of data

The DPA said the fee allows it to operate independently of the States of Guernsey and helps the Bailiwick keep its "adequacy" status within the European Commission.

This helps the free flow of data between the islands and the EU, helping its economy, it said.

Charities and not-for-profit organisations do not have to pay fees to register.

The registration deadline is the end of February.

Fees for organisations with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent staff, including landlords and sole traders, have increased by £10, from £50 to £60 annually.

The charge for companies with 50 or more full-time staff has gone up from £2,000 to £2,400 per year.

The States of Guernsey is the largest contributor of fees, the DPA said.