ICO publishes new guidance on smart data schemes and data protection

The Information Commission (ICO) has published new guidance on smart data schemes. Introduced under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUA Act), smart data schemes are designed to allow participating organisations to securely share information with Authorised Third Parties (ATPs), expanding on Open Banking frameworks to support the government's broader goals for responsible data sharing across the economy.

The guidance is tailored for scheme designers, including government departments, regulators, standards bodies, scheme operators, and other organisations that set or oversee technical standards, rules, and governance structures. Because scheme designers influence how data is handled across networks without necessarily processing it directly, the ICO's framework sets clear expectations to ensure scheme designs help participating organisations comply with data protection law and protect statutory rights.

Training announcement: Freevacy provides comprehensive training for new and existing practitioners on the changes introduced by the DUA Act to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA18), and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PEC-Regulations). Our courses are always up to date and provide a forum for learning and discussing how to ensure your data protection processes remain compliant. Find out more.