Section 1Overview

(1) This Act makes provision about the processing of personal data.

(2) Most processing of personal data is subject to the [^F1UK GDPR].

(3) Part 2 supplements the [^F2UK GDPR].

(4) Part 3 makes provision about the processing of personal data by competent authorities for law enforcement purposes ^F3....

(5) Part 4 makes provision about the processing of personal data by the intelligence services [^F4(and certain processing carried out by competent authorities jointly with the intelligence services)].

(6) Part 5 makes provision about the Information [^F5Commission].

(7) Part 6 makes provision about the enforcement of the data protection legislation.

(8) Part 7 makes supplementary provision, including provision about the application of this Act to the Crown and to Parliament.

Amended text

This Section is shown as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), among other instruments (see the annotations below) (commenced provisions as at 30 September 2026, ELI), as incorporated in the text in force on 30 September 2026 as published on legislation.gov.uk.

Annotations

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 1(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(2) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2 Words in s. 1(3) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(3) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F3 Words in s. 1(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/419), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(4) (with reg. 5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F4 Words in s. 1(5) inserted (17.11.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 90(2), 142(1); S.I. 2025/996, reg. 2(2)(b)
F5 Word in s. 1(6) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 23(2)(3); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 1 in force at Royal Assent, see s. 212(2)(a)

https://dpa2018.digiphile.law/article/article-1.html

Text as at 18 September 2026.

This is an unofficial convenience version of the Data Protection Act 2018. It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in September 2026.