The Legal Aid Agency (LAA), that is the government body that funds legal aid in England and  Wales, has suffered a major attack on its online systems. This attack has resulted in many  clients’ personal data being accessed and downloaded. 

What information is affected? The LAA said that this information may include contact details, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers, criminal history, employment status, and financial data such as debts and payments.  

Who is affected? Anyone who applied for legal aid since 2010 may be affected. If this includes you, the Legal Aid Agency advises you to:  

• Be alert for suspicious activity, such as messages, emails, or phone calls from people you  don’t know.  
• If you doubt anyone who has contacted you online or by phone, verify their identity independently first.  
• Update any passwords that you think may have been exposed. 

There is more on protecting yourself after a data breach from the National Cyber Security Centre. The Law Centre does not know exactly who was affected by LAA’s data breach. For more information on this, please contact the Legal Aid Agency.