Making your Data Protection Act request

Requests for personal information, that is information about a living individual, are dealt with under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you want to ask whether we hold any personal information about you, please note the following:

You will need to supply proof of your identity. This should include both of the following:
1. A photocopy of the identification pages of your current passport or of a current photo driving licence.
2. The original of a current utilities (such as electricity) bill, or credit card or bank statement, which includes your name and current address. This can be returned to you if required.
It would also help us to narrow our search if you could tell us which team or directorate you believe might hold personal data on you. If you are not sure, please tell us the context in which you have had dealings with us, and when.
We will charge a fee of £10 for this service.
We may withhold access to your information where we have the right to do so under the Data Protection Act. When that happens, we will tell you which exemption applies and, in most cases, why the information cannot be released.

When we receive your DPA request

We aim to reply promptly to your request, and are obliged by statute to provide a response within 40 working days. We will send you an invoice for the £10 fee. You will then have 3 months to pay the fee before we will continue to process your request.

You can make your request in writing to:
DPA request
HEFCE
Northavon House
Coldharbour Lane
BRISTOL
BS16 1QD

For further information about the DPA

Data protection section of the Information Commissioner's Office web-site

Last updated 20 June 2007