Information watchdog reassures Islanders over credit data sharing - Jersey Evening Post
by Fiona Potigny, Newsdesk · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
Information watchdog reassures Islanders over credit data sharing
by Fiona Potigny and Newsdesk 5 July 20263 July 2026
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THE Jersey Information Commissioner has sought to reassure Islanders over the government’s decision to share basic personal information with UK credit reference agencies, saying strict data protection safeguards will remain in place.
The comments follow the government’s announcement that, from 30 July, Islanders’ names, addresses and dates of birth will be securely shared with UK credit reference agencies Experian and Equifax to make it easier to access credit cards and other lending products.
Residents can opt out of the scheme if they do not wish their information to be shared.
Information Commissioner Paul Vane said the change addressed a longstanding problem which had seen Jersey residents refused credit simply because UK agencies were unable to verify their identity.
“Unlike the UK, where it is permissible for Credit Reference Agencies to access the electoral register to verify a person is who they say they are, similar provisions in Jersey have not existed up until now,” he said.
“As a result, Jersey residents were often refused credit because the CRA criteria for verifying the individual could not be satisfied.”
Mr Vane stressed that the new arrangements did not give agencies access to the electoral register. Instead, they would receive only limited information held on the Population Register for the specific purpose of verifying identity.
He added that the sharing of personal data was governed by the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 and that the government would be required to ensure only the minimum information necessary was disclosed.
The government must also have a lawful basis for sharing the information and robust data-sharing agreements with each credit reference agency, setting out how Islanders’ personal data is handled and kept secure.
Mr Vane added that “any individual concerned about how their data has been handled can lodge a complaint, firstly with the Government of Jersey, and if not satisfied with the outcome, with my office”.
In a statement on Friday, the Employment, Social Security and Housing department also sought to reassure Islanders about how the information would be handled.
“Islanders’ names, addresses and date of birth will be shared securely, and the law strictly limits how this information can be used,” it stated.
“Organisations can only access data from a CRA if they have a legitimate reason, and the CRAs must meet strict UK data protection rules equivalent to those in Jersey.”
The department also highlighted that “sharing data with CRAs will remove a major barrier for Islanders seeking credit cards, loans and other financial products”.
“But we recognise that some people may prefer for their data not to be shared,” it added.
“For this reason, we have created dedicated channels for Islanders to opt out and our team is ready to assist.”
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