Stop Reacting to Regulation: How the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 Turns Compliance into a Strategic Advantage
- Feb 22
- 3 min read
For years, Data Protection Officers and IT leads have viewed Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) with a sense of dread. The process often felt like a one-way street: organisations were expected to pour endless hours into "fishing expedition" requests, often with very little defensive footing to manage the burden.
The arrival of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) has finally changed the game.
At True North Data Governance and Compliant Ltd, I founded my consultancy and interim practice on a single premise: Compliance shouldn’t be a cost centre, it should be a framework for operational excellence.
The DUAA isn't just another set of rules to follow; it’s a collection of statutory "common sense" provisions that allow you to protect your team’s time. Here is how we help you leverage this new legislation to demonstrate bulletproof compliance without the 300-hour manual slog.
Mastering the "Stop the Clock" Rule
One of the most significant shifts in the DUAA is the formal statutory right to pause the 30-day SAR deadline.
Previously, the clock kept ticking even while you waited for a requester to verify their identity or clarify a vague request. Now, you have the power to "stop the clock." I work with organisations to build robust, automated workflows that ensure the response period only runs when you have the necessary information to proceed. This protects your team from unnecessary pressure and legal risk.
Deploying the "Reasonable & Proportionate" Shield
The DUAA moves the UK away from the "leave no stone unturned" panic. The Act now explicitly codifies that searches for personal data only need to be reasonable and proportionate.
But what does "proportionate" actually look like in a court of law or an ICO audit? I help you define and document these search boundaries. By setting clear thresholds for data retrieval, we fulfil your legal obligations while culling the noise saving your business hundreds of hours on every complex request.
Microsoft Purview: Technical Compliance, Automated
Compliance is only as effective as the tech stack supporting it. A major pillar of my consultancy is hands-on training for Microsoft Purview eDiscovery. I don’t just give you a strategy; I show your team how to set up the tech to do the heavy lifting. We configure Microsoft Purview to:
Automate the "reasonable search" process.
Build in reasonable and proportionate to the search criteria
Cull irrelevant system data before it reaches a human reviewer.
Manage DUAA-compliant timelines within your existing Microsoft 365 environment.
Compliance Without the Chaos
You don't need a massive, month-long manual project to prove you are compliant. The key to satisfying the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is a clear, defensible audit trail.
I implement lean, automated logging systems that provide an instant snapshot of your compliance efforts. This proves your reasonable searches were executed perfectly, transforming a potential 300-hour manual slog into a streamlined, repeatable process.
Strategic Support: Consultancy and Interim Leadership
The transition to the DUAA requires more than just a policy update; it requires a shift in culture and capability. Whether you need a strategic audit, specialised Purview training, or an interim lead to steady the ship during a transition, I provide the senior oversight needed to ensure compliance supports your growth rather than stalling it.
Stop reacting to the legislation and start leveraging it to your advantage.
Contact us today to discuss how we can streamline your regulatory operations and move your team from "panic mode" to "protection mode."
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