How can I find out what is held about me?

If you want to know if a person or organisation holds information about you and, if so, what information they hold, you will need to write to that person or organisation and make a subject access request. You should ask for a copy of all the information they hold about you. If you are not sure who to write to in an organisation, address your letter to the company secretary. It is a good idea to include your full name and address in the heading, and any other information to help identify you and the information you need. For example, if you are making a request to a previous employer, they may need the dates when you worked for them to find the information about you. In other circumstances, a reference number such as your NHS number may be needed if you are requesting medical information, and so on. Be as specific as possible. It will help the organisation if you tell them exactly what information you want.

Some organisations make decisions using an automated process (for example, using a computer system to give you a credit rating). If you want them to also tell you about the logic involved in making these decisions, you should specifically say this in your letter.