The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is continuing their campaign to remind SMEs of their responsibility t requirement to register, and pay the fee, if they are holding customer’s information.
They remind operators and business owners of the strong message registration sends to customers – it lets them know that you value and care about their information. Being listed on the ICO’s register shows that your company take data protection seriously, whilst also demonstrating to other organisations that you run a tight ship.
It is the law to register and pay the fee, which supports the role of the ICO. Most companies will only need to pay £40 or £60 a year. For large organisations the fee is £2,900. You could be fined if you need to pay but fail to do so.
If you receive a letter you will need to act:
- if you need to pay, visit ico.org.uk/fee and click ‘first time payment’ if you haven’t registered with the ICO before, or ‘renew’ if you have registered before. You must complete the online application before sending your payment. It takes about 15 minutes. You can save time, hassle and money each year by setting up a Direct Debit, which deducts £5 from your fee;
- if you’ve received a letter from the ICO quoting your Companies House number and you don’t need to pay, complete the form at ico.org.uk/no-fee to let the ICO know why your company is exempt from paying the fee; or
- if you’re not sure if you’re exempt, you can take our online self-assessment at ico.org.uk/fee-checker.
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Further information: