Special Category Data
Special Category Data
Special category data is personal data that is more sensitive and therefore requires additional protection.
Special category personal data is information relating to:
- racial or ethnic origin
- political opinions
- religious or philosophical beliefs
- trade union membership
- genetic or biometric data processed for the purpose of identification
- health
- sex life or sexual orientation
In order to lawfully process special category data, you must identify both a lawful basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR and a separate condition for processing under Article 9.
The conditions for processing special category data under Article 9 are:
(a) Explicit consent
(b) Employment, social security and social protection (if authorised by law)
(c) Vital interests
(d) Not-for-profit bodies
(e) Made public by the data subject
(f) Legal claims or judicial acts
(g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)
(h) Health or social care (with a basis in law)
(i) Public health (with a basis in law)
(j) Archiving, research and statistics (with a basis in law)
Additional conditions and safeguards must be met when relying on conditions (b), (g) (h), (i), or (j) as set out in UK law in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018.
Further guidance on lawfully processing special category personal data can be found on the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website.