{"id":183096,"date":"2023-09-20T06:46:46","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T05:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=183096"},"modified":"2024-05-07T04:14:20","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T03:14:20","slug":"keep-personal-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/keep-personal-data\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Can I Keep Personal Data?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Businesses often hold a lot of personal data, including data about customers, staff and suppliers. Most businesses tend to keep hold of personal data for a long time without proper processes to delete it. Data retention and deletion are often not at the top of the business priority list. However, this is high risk and could lead to serious consequences. Keeping personal data is subject to strict legal rules under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). This article will explain some key privacy law rules around how long you can keep personal data.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Long Can I Legally Retain Data?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/three-reasons-why-data-protection-is-important-in-the-workplace\/\">Data protection laws<\/a> on holding personal data are extremely stringent. Your business cannot hold onto personal data forever \u2018just in case\u2019 (unless very limited exceptions apply) or for longer than you need the data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must carefully consider how long you really need to hold personal data and when to delete it. For example, if a customer stopped working with you five years ago and moved on to a new supplier, do you really need to keep their payment information?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To determine how long you should retain personal data, you will need to consider both the UK GDPR, other applicable laws and your business requirements. There are various laws that require documents and records to be held for specific time periods. For example, certain accounting records need to be kept 6 years from the date they were made. Business contracts should generally be kept for a minimum of 6 years. Most employment-related documents should be kept for 7 years. A vital but often difficult priority for businesses is balancing data protection laws, other laws, and business needs when it comes to data retention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your organisation must ensure that you keep personal data in accordance with the principles set out in the UK GDPR. There are no set time periods for how long you can keep personal data under the UK GDPR. However, the UK GDPR sets out various rules around processing personal data, including rules on data minimisation. The UK GDPR data minimisation principle means that you should only collect the minimum amount of personal data you need. Your organisation should carefully review the data you hold and decide how long it should be kept, in accordance with the UK GDPR rules. This is extremely important.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Tips for Keeping Personal Data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The data retention and deletion rules are mandatory and may sound quite onerous given the heavy amounts of data most businesses hold. However, there are various actions you can take to help comply with them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Understand What Personal Data You Hold and Why You Need It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The starting point is always to look at what <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/common-mistakes-handling-personal-data\/\">personal data<\/a> you hold. This task is commonly known as a \u2018data audit\u2019.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should carefully consider the following as part of this process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who do you collect personal data from?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why do you collect personal data from them?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How long do you legitimately need to use that personal data?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When should the data be deleted, and what processes do you have in place to delete it?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to make sure you can justify why your business holds personal data for specific periods.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Understand the Rules on Data Retention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You should understand the principles of the UK GDPR and how they apply to data retention. In particular, you should consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/ico.org.uk\/\">UK ICO<\/a> (the data protection regulator\u2019s) guidance on storage limitations. The ICO\u2019s guidance discusses how long you should keep personal data. You should understand the importance of these rules and how they apply to your organisation in practice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should carefully consider the relevant UK GDPR principles and justify how long your organisation can keep each type of personal data. The relevant principles are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>principle of \u2018data minimisation\u2019<\/strong> \u2013 all personal data held by an organisation must be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>principle of \u2018storage limitation\u2019<\/strong> \u2013 personal data cannot be kept in a form that identifies individuals for longer than necessary for the purposes for which the data is processed.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in practice, complying with these principles can be extremely difficult. For example, businesses may lose track of all the data you hold and where you keep it. You may not fully understand when to delete data and how these rules apply. As such, a lot of businesses struggle to comply with these rules. However, understanding them will help you develop good data practices and comply with the legal requirements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Implement a Data Retention Policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A useful way to help you comply with these principles is to have a data retention policy<strong> <\/strong>in place. This policy document clearly sets out how your organisation manages data and deletes it when you no longer need it. It should set out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>rules for holding personal data;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the company\u2019s principles around data retention; and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>why certain data is kept for certain time periods.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As a part of this policy, you can create a schedule that lists all the different types of personal data sets. Further, this schedule may outline how long you keep each type of personal data.&nbsp; The policy should be bespoke and tailored to your organisation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, you may need to hold certain personal data for important purposes, including tax or <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/how-long-to-keep-ex-employee-records-under-gdpr\/\">employment law<\/a> compliance purposes. If this is the case, document these details in your policy. You should also regularly review and update your policy to reflect any changes in the data you collect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"my-7 lg:my-10 border-y-2 border-gray-100 py-7 lg:py-10 flex flex-col sm:flex-row items-start gap-10\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-52 mx-auto my-0! rounded\" src=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/07\/04001038\/uk-gdpr-factsheet.jpg\" alt=\"Front page of publication\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" width=\"208\" height=\"298\">\n                <section>\n            <div class=\"text-2xl font-bold\">GDPR Essentials Factsheet<\/div>\n            <div class=\"body-text\">\n                <p>This factsheet sets out how your business can become GDPR compliant.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            \n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/07\/04001020\/LegalVision-UK-GDPR-Factsheet.pdf\" class=\" block px-5 py-3.5 max-w-fit bg-orange 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The UK GDPR does not dictate how long your business should keep personal data \u2013 that is a decision for each organisation to make. You must be able to justify exactly why you hold personal data for certain periods of time. Understanding the legal rules around data retention, auditing what data you hold and having a clear data retention policy will help you comply with the legal requirements under the UK GDPR.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need advice on data retention, contact our experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/services\/data-privacy-it-lawyers\/\">data, privacy and IT lawyers<\/a> as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\/\">membership page<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1695188337079\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Does the UK GDPR say how long I can keep personal data?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. The UK GDPR does not prescribe time limits. Your organisation needs to be able to justify why you hold personal data for certain periods of time. You will need to consider the UK GDPR rules and principles on data retention and make your decision accordingly.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1695188345697\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can I hold personal data indefinitely, just in case I need it?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Keeping information \u2018just in case\u2019 is high risk. You should only hold personal data for as long as you need it. You need to be able to justify why you hold personal data and demonstrate that your time periods for retention are in line with the UK GDPR rules. There are limited exceptions for the purpose of keeping personal data for archiving, research or statistical purposes. You should take advice if you are seeking to rely on these exceptions.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"9eb4f72322\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183096\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/keep-personal-data\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"How Long Can I Keep Personal Data?\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Businesses often hold a lot of personal data, including data about customers, staff and suppliers. Most businesses tend to keep hold of personal data for a long time without proper processes to delete it. Data retention and deletion are often not at the top of the business priority list. However, this is high risk and<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/keep-personal-data\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;How Long Can I Keep Personal Data?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13436,"featured_media":3210,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"175931,1794,179073,173381,2941,2350","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[20,641,746,1354,1495,1496],"class_list":["post-183096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-data-privacy-it","tag-small-business","tag-personal-data","tag-ico","tag-data-deletion","tag-uk-gdpr","tag-data-retention"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Long Can I Keep Personal Data? | LegalVision UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You should never keep personal data forever or longer than you need it. 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