Legislation – Data Protection Act 2018
Changes to legislation:
Data Protection Act 2018, Section 187 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 April 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.![]()
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 187:
- s. 26(2)(f)(ai) omitted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 9
- s. 44(1)(da) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 10(2)(a)
- s. 44(5)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 10(3)(a)
- s. 45(2)(ea) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 11(2)(a)
- s. 45(5)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 11(3)(a)
- s. 45A(2)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 12
- s. 48(1)(b)(iia) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 13(2)(a)
- s. 48(4)(ba) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 13(3)(a)
- s. 149(5A) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 16(3)
- s. 157(4A) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 18
- s. 187(1)(a) words omitted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 21(2)(b)
- s. 187(1)(a) words substituted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 21(2)(a)
- s. 187(2)(a) word substituted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 21(3)(b)
- s. 187(2)(za) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 21(3)(a)
- Sch. 3 para. 8(1)(y) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 78(3)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 26(2)(f)(ai) omitted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 9
- s. 44(1)(da) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 10(2)(a)
- s. 44(5)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 10(3)(a)
- s. 45(2)(ea) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 11(2)(a)
- s. 45(5)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 11(3)(a)
- s. 45A(2)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 12
- s. 48(1)(b)(iia) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 13(2)(a)
- s. 48(4)(ba) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 13(3)(a)
- s. 149(5A) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 16(3)
- s. 157(4A) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 18
- s. 187(2)(za) inserted by 2025 c. 18 Sch. 10 para. 21(3)(a)
- Sch. 3 para. 8(1)(y) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 78(3)
PART 7Supplementary and final provision
Representation of data subjects
187Representation of data subjects with their authority
(1)
In relation to the processing of personal data to which the F1UK GDPR applies, Article 80(1) of the UK GDPR (representation of data subjects)—
(a)
F2… enables a data subject to authorise a body or other organisation which meets the conditions set out in F3subsections (3) and (4) to exercise the data subject’s rights under Articles 77, 78 and 79 of the F4UK GDPR (rights to lodge complaints and to an effective judicial remedy) on the data subject’s behalf, and
(2)
In relation to the processing of personal data to which the F7UK GDPR does not apply, a body or other organisation which meets the conditions in subsections (3) and (4), if authorised to do so by a data subject, may exercise some or all of the following rights of a data subject on the data subject’s behalf—
(a)
rights under section 165(2) F8and (4)(d) (complaints to the Commissioner);
(b)
rights under section 166(2) (orders for the Commissioner to progress complaints);
(c)
rights under section 167(1) (compliance orders);
(d)
the right to bring judicial review proceedings against the Commissioner.
(3)
The first condition is that the body or organisation, by virtue of its constitution or an enactment—
(a)
is required (after payment of outgoings) to apply the whole of its income and any capital it expends for charitable or public purposes,
(b)
is prohibited from directly or indirectly distributing amongst its members any part of its assets (otherwise than for charitable or public purposes), and
(c)
has objectives which are in the public interest.
(4)
The second condition is that the body or organisation is active in the field of protection of data subjects’ rights and freedoms with regard to the protection of their personal data.
(5)
In this Act, references to a “representative body”, in relation to a right of a data subject, are to a body or other organisation authorised to exercise the right on the data subject’s behalf under Article 80 of the F9UK GDPR or this section.