What is the latest news?
At the review hearing on 10th September 2025, Senior Counsel for the Defendant told the Court that, despite a business case for a “universal offer” being recently approved by both the Department of Justice and Department of Finance, the PSNI cannot proceed to make the offer as the total figure is not affordable within current PSNI funding.
Senior Counsel went on to say that the Chief Constable wrote to the Justice Minister on 8 September, drawing to the Minister’s attention his concerns about this situation and seeking her intervention. The Chief Constable also met with the Minister in-person yesterday, 9 September 2025, to discuss this matter.
We are extremely disappointed and frustrated that it has taken until now for the PSNI to raise such a crucial issue. The data breach took place just over 2 years ago and proceedings were issued in October 2023. The Court has been told on numerous occasions that a “universal offer” was pending, subject to approval, without any mention of funding issues. To learn only now that funding to allow a resolution of these matters remains in dispute is not acceptable for those affected by the breach.
We will now be focusing our efforts on the test cases which are listed for hearing for 4 days from 3 November 2025 and hope that the PSNI will resolve funding issues as a matter of urgency to allow for the universal offer to be made as soon as possible.
What is the next step for me?
If you have registered with us and are a member of the Police Federation, you should have received a questionnaire to complete. Thank you to those who have already returned completed questionnaires. If you have not yet returned your questionnaire, we would ask that you take some time to complete and return same to the PFNI, who will in turn pass it securely to us.
If you have registered with us and are not a member of the Police Federation, you should have received a questionnaire directly from Edwards Solicitors. Again, thank you to those who have already completed and returned their questionnaire. If you have not yet done so, we would ask that you take some time to complete it and return it directly to us.
What if I haven’t received a questionnaire?
Firstly, please check your junk mail and spam folders to check that the email is not there. If not, and if you are a PFNI member, please contact the PFNI to check that you are registered and to ask for a questionnaire to be sent to you.
If you are not a PFNI member and you have not received a questionnaire, please contact us directly via email at psnidatabreach@edwardsandcompany.co.uk, or by calling our office and speaking to Philip Gordon or Rachel Powderly.
Can I still join the claim?
Yes, you can still join the claim. If you are a PFNI member, please contact the PFNI to register with them and they will pass your name to us for addition to the claim and send to you a questionnaire for completion and return.
If you are not a PFNI member please contact us directly.
How do I contact you if I have any queries?
If you have any queries from time to time, please contact us via email at psnidatabreach@edwardsandcompany.co.uk or by calling our office and speaking to Philip Gordon or Rachel Powderly.