EdLaw nat/gb/dpa-2018/GENERAL-EXEMPTIONS.md

language: en · last checked: 2026-10-06

Schedule 2 — exemptions etc from the UK GDPR

The exemptions and restrictions that section 15(2) applies to the UK GDPR's transparency, data subject rights and other provisions: crime and taxation, immigration, legal requirements, functions designed to protect the public, legal professional privilege, self-incrimination, confidential references, exam scripts and marks, research and archiving, among others.

Part 1 — Adaptations and restrictions as described in Articles 6(3) and 23(1)

Paragraph 1 — UK GDPR provisions to be adapted or restricted: “the listed GDPR provisions”

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

In this Part of this Schedule, “the listed GDPR provisions” means—

Paragraph 2 — Crime and taxation: general

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions and Article 34(1) and (4) of the UK GDPR (communication of personal data breach to the data subject) do not apply to personal data processed for any of the following purposes—

2 Sub-paragraph (3) applies where—

3 Controller 2 is exempt from the obligations in the following provisions of the UK GDPR—

Paragraph 3 — Crime and taxation: risk assessment systems

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The UK GDPR provisions listed in sub-paragraph (3) do not apply to personal data which consists of a classification applied to the data subject as part of a risk assessment system falling within sub-paragraph (2) to the extent that the application of those provisions would prevent the system from operating effectively.

2 A risk assessment system falls within this sub-paragraph if—

3 The UK GDPR provisions referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are the following provisions of the UK GDPR (the rights and obligations in which may be restricted by virtue of Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR)—

Paragraph 4 — Immigration

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The relevant UK GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed by the Secretary of State for any of the following purposes—

1A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1C Paragraphs 4A and 4B make provision about ... safeguards in connection with the exemption in sub-paragraph (1).

2 In sub-paragraph (1) and paragraph 4A, the “relevant UK GDPR provisions” are the following provisions of the UK GDPR (the rights and obligations in which may be restricted by virtue of Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR)—

3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Paragraph 4A — Immigration: safeguards: immigration exemption decisions

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 A decision under paragraph 4(1) as to whether, and the extent to which, the application of the relevant UK GDPR provisions would be likely to prejudice any of the matters mentioned in paragraph 4(1)(a) and (b) (referred to in this paragraph as “an immigration exemption decision”) must be made in accordance with this paragraph.

2 An immigration exemption decision must be made—

3 When making an immigration exemption decision, the Secretary of State must take into account all the circumstances of the case, including at least the following—

4 A decision that the application of a particular relevant UK GDPR provision mentioned in paragraph 4(2)(a) to (f) (or that provision in combination with the provision mentioned in paragraph 4(2)(g), so far as it applies) would be likely to prejudice any of the matters mentioned in paragraph 4(1)(a) and (b) may be made only if—

5 In this paragraph—

Paragraph 4B — Immigration: safeguard: record of decision that exemption applies

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 Where the Secretary of State makes a decision mentioned in paragraph 4A(4), the Secretary of State must keep a record of it and the reasons for it.

2 Where sub-paragraph (1) applies, the Secretary of State must also inform the data subject of the decision unless, in the particular circumstances of the case, the Secretary of State considers that doing so may be prejudicial to any of the matters mentioned in paragraph 4(1)(a) and (b).

Paragraph 5 — Information required to be disclosed by law etc or in connection with legal proceedings

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data consisting of information that the controller is obliged by an enactment to make available to the public, to the extent that the application of those provisions would prevent the controller from complying with that obligation.

2 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data where disclosure of the data is required by an enactment, a rule of law or an order of a court or tribunal, to the extent that the application of those provisions would prevent the controller from making the disclosure.

3 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data where disclosure of the data—

Part 2 — Restrictions as described in Article 23(1): restrictions of rules in Articles 13 to 21 and 34

Paragraph 6 — UK GDPR provisions to be restricted: “the listed GDPR provisions”

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

In this Part of this Schedule, “the listed GDPR provisions” means the following provisions of the UK GDPR (the rights and obligations in which may be restricted by virtue of Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR)—

Paragraph 7 — Functions designed to protect the public etc

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of discharging a function that—

Description of function design Condition
1. The function is designed to protect members of the public against—
financial loss due to dishonesty, malpractice or other seriously improper conduct by, or the unfitness or incompetence of, persons concerned in the provision of banking, insurance, investment or other financial services or in the management of bodies corporate, or
financial loss due to the conduct of discharged or undischarged bankrupts.
The function is—
conferred on a person by an enactment,
a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department, or
of a public nature, and is exercised in the public interest.
2. The function is designed to protect members of the public against—
dishonesty, malpractice or other seriously improper conduct, or
unfitness or incompetence.
The function is—
conferred on a person by an enactment,
a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department, or
of a public nature, and is exercised in the public interest.
3. The function is designed—
to protect charities or community interest companies against misconduct or mismanagement (whether by trustees, directors or other persons) in their administration,
to protect the property of charities or community interest companies from loss or misapplication, or
to recover the property of charities or community interest companies.
The function is—
conferred on a person by an enactment,
a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department, or
of a public nature, and is exercised in the public interest.
4. The function is designed—
to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work, or
to protect persons other than those at work against risk to health or safety arising out of or in connection with the action of persons at work.
The function is—
conferred on a person by an enactment,
a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department, or
of a public nature, and is exercised in the public interest.
5. The function is designed to protect members of the public against—
maladministration by public bodies,
failures in services provided by public bodies, or
a failure of a public body to provide a service which it is a function of the body to provide.
The function is conferred by any enactment on—
the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration,
the Commissioner for Local Administration in England,
the Health Service Commissioner for England,
the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales,
the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman,
the Prison Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, or
the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
6. The function is designed—
to protect members of the public against conduct which may adversely affect their interests by persons carrying on a business,
to regulate agreements or conduct which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition in connection with any commercial activity, or
to regulate conduct on the part of one or more undertakings which amounts to the abuse of a dominant position in a market.
The function is conferred on the Competition and Markets Authority by an enactment.

Paragraph 8 — Audit functions

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of discharging a function listed in sub-paragraph (2) to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice the proper discharge of the function.

2 The functions are any function that is conferred by an enactment on—

Paragraph 9 — Functions of the Bank of England

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of discharging a relevant function of the Bank of England to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice the proper discharge of the function.

2 “Relevant function of the Bank of England” means—

Paragraph 10 — Regulatory functions relating to legal services, the health service and children's services

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of discharging a function listed in sub-paragraph (2) to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice the proper discharge of the function.

2 The functions are—

Paragraph 11 — Regulatory functions of certain other persons

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of discharging a function that—

Person on whom function is conferred How function is conferred
1. The Commission . By or under—
the data protection legislation;
the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
section 244 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016;
the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2426);
the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/3391);
the INSPIRE Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3157);
Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC;
the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1415);
the Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/696).
2. The Scottish Information Commissioner. By or under—
the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13);
the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (S.S.I. 2004/520);
the INSPIRE (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (S.S.I. 2009/440).
3. The Pensions Ombudsman. By or under Part 10 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 or any corresponding legislation having equivalent effect in Northern Ireland.
4. The Board of the Pension Protection Fund. By or under sections 206 to 208 of the Pensions Act 2004 or any corresponding legislation having equivalent effect in Northern Ireland.
5. The Ombudsman for the Board of the Pension Protection Fund. By or under any of sections 209 to 218 or 286(1) of the Pensions Act 2004 or any corresponding legislation having equivalent effect in Northern Ireland.
6. The Pensions Regulator. By an enactment.
7. The Financial Conduct Authority. By or under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or by another enactment.
8. The Financial Ombudsman. By or under Part 16 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
9. The investigator of complaints against the financial regulators. By or under Part 6 of the Financial Services Act 2012.
. . . . . .
11. The monitoring officer of a relevant authority. By or under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
12. The monitoring officer of a relevant Welsh authority. By or under the Local Government Act 2000.
13. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. By or under the Local Government Act 2000.
14. The Charity Commission. By or under—
the Charities Act 1992;
the Charities Act 2006;
the Charities Act 2011.

Paragraph 12 — Regulatory functions of certain other persons

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

In the Table in paragraph 11—

Paragraph 13 — Parliamentary privilege

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions and Article 34(1) and (4) of the UK GDPR (communication of personal data breach to the data subject) do not apply to personal data where this is required for the purpose of avoiding an infringement of the privileges of either House of Parliament.

Paragraph 14 — Judicial appointments, judicial independence and judicial proceedings

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of assessing a person's suitability for judicial office or the office of Queen's Counsel.

2 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed by—

3 As regards personal data not falling within sub-paragraph (1) or (2), the listed GDPR provisions do not apply to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice judicial independence or judicial proceedings.

Paragraph 15 — Crown honours, dignities and appointments

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of the conferring by the Crown of any honour or dignity.

2 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of assessing a person's suitability for any of the following offices—

3 The Secretary of State may by regulations amend the list in sub-paragraph (2) to—

4 Regulations under sub-paragraph (3) are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

Part 3 — Restriction for the protection of rights of others

Paragraph 16 — Protection of the rights of others: general

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 Article 15(1) to (3) of the UK GDPR (confirmation of processing, access to data and safeguards for third country transfers), and Article 5 of the UK GDPR so far as its provisions correspond to the rights and obligations provided for in Article 15(1) to (3), do not oblige a controller to disclose information to the data subject to the extent that doing so would involve disclosing information relating to another individual who can be identified from the information.

2 Sub-paragraph (1) does not remove the controller's obligation where—

3 In determining whether it is reasonable to disclose the information without consent, the controller must have regard to all the relevant circumstances, including—

4 For the purposes of this paragraph—

Paragraph 17 — Assumption of reasonableness for health workers, social workers and education workers

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 For the purposes of paragraph 16(2)(b), it is to be considered reasonable for a controller to disclose information to a data subject without the consent of the other individual where—

2 The health data test is met if—

3 The social work data test is met if—

4 The education data test is met if—

5 In this paragraph—

Part 4 — Restrictions as described in Article 23(1): restrictions of rules in Articles 13 to 15

Paragraph 18 — UK GDPR provisions to be restricted: “the listed GDPR provisions”

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

In this Part of this Schedule, “the listed GDPR provisions” means the following provisions of the UK GDPR (the rights and obligations in which may be restricted by virtue of Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR)—

Paragraph 19 — Legal professional privilege

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data that consists of—

Paragraph 20 — Self incrimination

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 A person need not comply with the listed GDPR provisions to the extent that compliance would, by revealing evidence of the commission of an offence, expose the person to proceedings for that offence.

2 The reference to an offence in sub-paragraph (1) does not include an offence under—

3 Information disclosed by any person in compliance with Article 15 of the UK GDPR is not admissible against the person in proceedings for an offence under this Act.

Paragraph 21 — Corporate finance

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of or in connection with a corporate finance service provided by a relevant person to the extent that either Condition A or Condition B is met.

2 Condition A is that the application of the listed GDPR provisions would be likely to affect the price of an instrument.

3 Condition B is that—

4 In this paragraph—

5 In the definition of “relevant person” in sub-paragraph (4), references to “the general prohibition” are to the general prohibition within the meaning of section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Paragraph 22 — Management forecasts

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for the purposes of management forecasting or management planning in relation to a business or other activity to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice the conduct of the business or activity concerned.

Paragraph 23 — Negotiations

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data that consists of records of the intentions of the controller in relation to any negotiations with the data subject to the extent that the application of those provisions would be likely to prejudice those negotiations.

Paragraph 24 — Confidential references

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data consisting of a reference given (or to be given) in confidence for the purposes of—

Paragraph 25 — Exam scripts and exam marks

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data consisting of information recorded by candidates during an exam.

2 Where personal data consists of marks or other information processed by a controller—

3 Where a question arises as to whether the controller is obliged by Article 15 of the UK GDPR to disclose personal data, and the question arises before the day on which the exam results are announced, the controller must provide the information mentioned in Article 12(3) or (4)—

4 In this paragraph, “exam” means an academic, professional or other examination used for determining the knowledge, intelligence, skill or ability of a candidate and may include an exam consisting of an assessment of the candidate's performance while undertaking work or any other activity.

5 For the purposes of this paragraph, the results of an exam are treated as announced when they are first published or, if not published, first communicated to the candidate.

Part 5 — Exemptions etc ... for reasons of freedom of expression and information

Paragraph 26 — Journalistic, academic, artistic and literary purposes

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 In this paragraph, “the special purposes” means one or more of the following—

2 Sub-paragraph (3) applies to the processing of personal data carried out for the special purposes if—

3 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to the extent that the controller reasonably believes that the application of those provisions would be incompatible with the special purposes.

4 In determining whether publication would be in the public interest the controller must take into account the special importance of the public interest in the freedom of expression and information.

5 In determining whether it is reasonable to believe that publication would be in the public interest, the controller must have regard to any of the codes of practice or guidelines listed in sub-paragraph (6) that is relevant to the publication in question.

6 The codes of practice and guidelines are—

7 The Secretary of State may by regulations amend the list in sub-paragraph (6).

8 Regulations under sub-paragraph (7) are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

9 For the purposes of this paragraph, the listed GDPR provisions are the following provisions of the UK GDPR (which may be exempted or derogated from by virtue of Article 85(2) of the UK GDPR)—

Part 6 — Derogations etc ... for research, statistics and archiving

Paragraph 27 — Research and statistics

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for—

This is subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (4).

2 For the purposes of this paragraph, the listed GDPR provisions are the following provisions of the UK GDPR—

3 The exemption in sub-paragraph (1) is available only where—

4 Where processing for a purpose described in sub-paragraph (1) serves at the same time another purpose, the exemption in sub-paragraph (1) is available only where the personal data is processed for a purpose referred to in that sub-paragraph.

Paragraph 28 — Archiving in the public interest

Verbatim from legislation.gov.uk (consolidated text, valid as at 2026-09-30).

1 The listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data processed for archiving purposes in the public interest to the extent that the application of those provisions would prevent or seriously impair the achievement of those purposes.

This is subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (4).

2 For the purposes of this paragraph, the listed GDPR provisions are the following provisions of the UK GDPR—

3 The exemption in sub-paragraph (1) is available only where the personal data is processed in accordance with Article 84B of the UK GDPR.

4 Where processing for a purpose described in sub-paragraph (1) serves at the same time another purpose, the exemption in sub-paragraph (1) is available only where the personal data is processed for a purpose referred to in that sub-paragraph.

Sources