MoD agrees to pay £1.6m in compensation to Afghan data breach victims
04/07/2025 | Financial Times
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has agreed to pay up to £1.6 million in compensation to hundreds of Afghans affected by a 2021 personal data breach during the evacuation of Kabul. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence, Luke Pollard, informed the House of Commons that the MoD would fulfil a 2023 pledge to compensate 277 individuals who applied to the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. Pollard confirmed a one-off ex gratia payment of up to £4,000 for each verified claimant, promising swift payments and improved departmental data handling.
An investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) found the MoD responsible and fined the department £350,000 for breaching the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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