WHITO GLOSSARY · MEASURED DEFINITIONS
Paying the data protection fee most UK businesses handling personal data owe the Information Commissioner’s Office. On the register: 4 of 200 electricians, 7 of 200 plumbing firms, 10 of 200 hairdressers, 92 of 200 accountants.
The number: UK Trades ICO Register Check.
What it means in practice
Most small firms handling customer data owe the ICO a fee and have never heard of it. The register shows entire trades quietly absent.
If you hold customer names, numbers or addresses, check whether you should be registered. The fee is small; being checkably compliant is worth more than the fee.
Whito stage: Start. Get this right before spending on channels.
The numbers to hold onto
- On the register: 4 of 200 electricians, 7 of 200 plumbing firms, 10 of 200 hairdressers, 92 of 200 accountants. UK Trades ICO Register Check.
- The trade whose job is data compliance registers about ten times more often than the trades that quietly skip it. UK Trades ICO Register Check.
Where to go next
Related: Companies House check, Dead listing, ICO registration