The practical challenge isn’t understanding GDPR but applying it consistently when caseloads grow and data comes from multiple sources. This is where many organisations begin to feel pressure, especially when older records, system migrations or incomplete information sit alongside day to day recovery activity.
As we await Information Commissioner's Office’s (ICO) annual a year in review report for 2025, last year’s data shows the scale of the environment most organisations are working within. The ICO reported 36,049 data protection complaints and 1,991 personal data breach cases completed in 2024.
The UK Business Data Survey 2024 also found that 62% of UK businesses handle digitised personal data within their operations.
For companies with significant or rising caseloads, this level of activity means GDPR is a practical consideration rather than a theoretical one. It shapes how information is collected and how it flows between teams, especially when decisions need to be made quickly.
Legacy data is often where the earliest strain appears. Many sectors with high account turnover, such as telecommunications, student accommodation and large B2B suppliers, hold years of historical information that has passed through different systems or been updated by several teams. Even when the information is accurate, variations in formatting or duplication can slow internal reviews and create hesitation about whether a record can be used with confidence.
A 2024 UK survey found almost 60% of organisations consider poor quality data to be their biggest barrier to effective data management.
This is where small inconsistencies become operational barriers. Even when the core data is correct, variations in how it’s been stored or updated can create delays that affect the pace of recovery.
We often see this in caseloads that come to us after a system change. One client explained their customer records had recently been migrated from an older platform which meant some historic entries held different contact details from the newer ones. The information wasn’t wrong but the inconsistency created extra checks when preparing the file for recovery. Situations like this are common in sectors where customer information changes frequently or where data has passed through more than one system.
A similar pattern appears in companies managing seasonal or high volume account intake. One client told us several teams were responsible for uploading new account information during their busiest period which sometimes resulted in small omissions across the final export. Details such as a preferred contact method or secondary address might be present in one file but missing in another. Over a large caseload, these small gaps create avoidable pauses while teams verify the right information to use.
In most cases, improving the situation doesn’t require large structural changes. Small steps make a noticeable difference. Reviewing how account information is exported, keeping contact details up to date and ensuring older records are clearly marked or stored in one place all reduce delays once recovery begins. Many organisations also benefit from agreeing an internal point of contact who can resolve data queries quickly to avoid cases stalling while teams search for missing information. These are simple adjustments but they support both GDPR compliance and day to day efficiency.
For businesses that move large numbers of overdue accounts throughout the year, consistency becomes as important as speed. Collections+ provides a structured path that brings each case into a clear recovery journey from the moment the file is submitted. For more information, on how this could support your business, you can call Charlotte Young, Senior Business Development Executive on 020 4519 4943.
