Data Protection Audits for UK Organisations
We provide solicitor-led data protection and GDPR audits tailored to your organisation.
We offer solicitor-led data protection audits that identify compliance gaps and opportunities for improvement, helping you reduce risk and strengthen your data protection programme.
Does your business need a GDPR audit, including a GDPR Gap Analysis?
Updating your compliance programme? Data Protection Audits can help ensure policies, procedures and day-to-day practices reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
A common issue we find is that written policies appear comprehensive but are not consistently reflected in day-to-day practice. These gaps often remain hidden until a DSAR, data breach, procurement exercise or regulatory complaint brings them to light.
Our team’s previous experience includes work involving organisations such as WarnerMedia, Yum! Brands, Burberry, Expedia and Société Générale across sectors including media, retail, travel, financial services and pharmaceuticals. This breadth of experience helps us identify both common compliance gaps and risks specific to your organisation.
Clara Westbrook
25+ Years PQE
Founder | Qualified Solicitor | Data Protection Specialist
07976 939 016
How our audit process works
Step one: Scope and assessment
One of the first things we look at is whether an organisation’s written policies reflect what is actually happening in practice. We agree the scope and then speak to relevant staff, review policies and procedures and examine the evidence behind them.
Step two: Findings and presentation
A recurring issue is that an organisation believes a process is working because it has been documented. Our findings look beyond the policy itself and consider whether it is actually being followed.
Step three: Prioritised remediation plan
Not every finding carries the same level of risk. In practice, we prioritise the issues that could cause the greatest difficulty if there were a complaint, DSAR, data breach or regulatory enquiry.
What to expect from your data protection audit
Before the audit starts, we agree the scope with you so that it is clear what will be reviewed and what you will receive.
Audit scope agreed in advance
We agree which areas of your organisation will be reviewed, the documents and systems we will need to see and the people we may need to speak to.
Depending on the scope, this may include privacy notices, Records of Processing Activities, retention, data sharing, contracts, DSAR procedures, breaches, marketing, cookies, international transfers, DPIAs and staff practices.
Evidence-based findings report
At the end of the audit, you receive a written report setting out what we found.
We distinguish between areas that are working well, areas where documentation does not reflect what is happening in practice and issues that may require further action.
Each finding is supported by the evidence reviewed during the audit, so you can see why it has been raised.
Prioritised remediation plan
Our report identifies the actions we recommend and helps you prioritise them according to their significance.
This gives you a practical road map for addressing the findings rather than leaving you with a lengthy compliance report and no clear next step.
Example audit finding
Issue
A patient support initiative is collecting special category health data, but the related documentation has not kept pace with the way the programme now operates.
Evidence
Patient diagnosis and treatment information is being collected and shared with service providers, yet the existing privacy notice is too general, the processing is not fully reflected in the RoPA and there is no clear documented DPIA decision.
Risk
Patients may not be given a clear explanation of how their health data is being used, who it is shared with and how long it is retained. This creates regulatory risk and increases the likelihood of gaps in governance around high-risk processing.
Recommended action
Map the processing activity, confirm the lawful basis and special category condition, update the privacy notice and RoPA, review third-party processing arrangements and complete a DPIA screening exercise to determine whether a full DPIA is required.
How compliant is your organisation?
Download our one-page guide to what a WDPS data protection audit will show you — including your current position, key gaps and the actions to prioritise.
Download the Data Protection Audit guide →
What are the benefits of an audit?
1
Reduced your organisations compliance and security risks.
2
Demonstrate clear evidence of accountability within your organisation.
3
Get a better understanding and visibility of data protection gaps.
Costing structure
Our final pricing is subject to an inital scoping discussion.
Small Organisations | Medium Organisations | Large Organisations |
From £4,000 | From £6,000 | From £12,000 |
Not sure which audit scope you need?
We can discuss your organisation, processing activities and areas of concern before agreeing the scope and final cost.
Request an audit scoping discussion →
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Our audit process is aligned with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and current ICO guidance, ensuring your organisation meets the latest UK statutory requirements. We evaluate your updated complaints handling procedures, or help you create and implement one and check your Marketing Preference Methodologies in light of the increased fining powers under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) introduced by the DUAA 2025.
Why choose our services
After more than 25 years working in data protection and privacy, we’ve seen that compliance problems are rarely confined to one policy or document. They tend to emerge when you look at how people, systems and procedures actually work together.
Our audits are designed to find those gaps. Common findings include policies that are no longer fit for purpose as employees often work remotely, retention periods that exist on paper but are not applied leading to issues later with DSARs, missing controller vs processor agreements, and privacy policies still referring to the the 1998 act.
Book a scoping discussion
Speak directly with a data protection solicitor +44 (0)7976 939 016 (Mon – Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Sat: 10 – 4pm). If you would like us to call or email you, please leave your details, and we will be in touch.
Westbrook Data Protection Services Limited, 2nd Floor, Midas House, 62 Goldsworth Road Woking, Surrey, GU21 6LQ
View our Privacy Policy here
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Our team have a deep understanding of the following areas of law and continue to add value to our clients’ businesses.
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