COLEFORD job centre was one of 400 affected by data breaches last year according to data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

It was the only one affected in the Forest of Dean, but it was one of three affected in Gloucestershire, the other two being Stroud and Cheltenham.

Figures collected by compensation experts Data Breach Claims UK showed that 238 job centres experienced at least one breach between November 2023 and January 2025.

Bethan Hakesley, Data Breach Claims UK specialist said: "In this current climate, jobseekers already have more than enough to worry about without a mistake causing their personal data to become public.

"Even one data breach is too many, especially if it causes a person significant stress. If personal data gets in the wrong hands, it can have a devastating impact.

"We've supported many people who have had their lives turned upside down by a simple error with serious consequences. If someone suffers mental harm or financial damage because of a personal data breach, they're well within their rights to look into claiming compensation."

A data breach is defined as a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data.

Concerns from job centre breaches is that jobseekers are expected to share sensitive information when using the service, including names, addresses, National Insurance numbers, job histories and bank details, plus medical information in some cases.

The DWP also reported there were 261 ‘postal security incidents’ between November 2023 and January 2025. These incidents involve letters being sent to the wrong address and their contents, including an individual’s personal data, being seen by the wrong person.

Fortunately, the data shared by the DWP indicates that none of these incidents occurred in The Forest of Dean.