Breaking News: Legal Aid Applicants’ Personal Data Compromised
Cunningtons Solicitors has received notification from the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) that a serious cyber attack has compromised a significant amount of personal data belonging to Legal Aid applicants. The Ministry of Justice confirmed today (19th May 2025) that the security breach is more extensive than initially understood.
What Information Has Been Affected?
According to the Ministry of Justice, the cyber attack group has accessed and downloaded personal data from individuals who have applied for Legal Aid through the digital service since 2010. This potentially compromised information includes:
- Contact details and addresses;
- Dates of birth;
- National Insurance numbers;
- Criminal history records;
- Employment status information;
- Financial data (including contribution amounts, debts, and payments).
What Steps Are Being Taken?
The LAA has taken their online portal offline as part of their efforts to protect information and safeguard their service. Jane Harbottle, LAA Chief Executive, stated that her team has been
Contingency plans have been established to ensure those needing legal support can continue to access help during this time.
What Should Legal Aid Clients Do?
If you are a Legal Aid client, we strongly advise you to:
- Stay alert for suspicious activity, including unknown messages or phone calls,
- Change your passwords for all your important accounts,
- Carefully monitor your financial accounts for unusual transactions,
- Follow guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre at: www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/data-breaches.
Further Information
The LAA has confirmed it is their responsibility to contact all Legal Aid applicants whose data has been compromised. For more details about this incident, please visit: www.gov.uk/government/news/legal-aid-agency-data-breach.
Additional insight is available from the Law Society Gazette: Ministry of Justice says applicants’ personal data accessed in Legal Aid Agency cyber attack.
Cunningtons’ Commitment to Client Security
At Cunningtons, we have always taken the security of our clients’ data extremely seriously. While this breach occurred within the LAA’s systems rather than our own, we are closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
If you have concerns about your Legal Aid application or data security, please contact us for guidance.
Last updated: 19th May 2025