The 4th Principle of the DPA states that "personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to data". Personal data is considered as inaccurate if the data is incorrect or misleading as to any matter of fact.

An individual has the right under section 14 of the DPA to request that inaccurate data be erased, blocked, modified, replaced, etc even to the extent that all third parties to whom the data may have been transferred must be also advised accordingly. The individual has to prove to the University that the personal data is inaccurate, whilst the University has the responsibility to investigate the provenance of the data to be confident in its own position. The University's Policy and Procedures on the handling of allegations of inaccurate personal data are available via the link Guidance to Staff to the left.

The requirement to keep personal data up to date, where necessary, will depend upon the purpose for which the data is collected, held and used. For example, if the data is intended as a historical record of a transaction between the University and the individual, the keeping of the record up to date is inappropriate - to change any of the data would defeat the purpose of maintaining the historical record.