8. Does the DPA apply to everyone?

Not everyone has to register their use of personal data, so, if you hold your address book or your Christmas card list on your home computer, you can sleep at night.

The following use of personal data is exempt.  In other words, you do not need to register your use of personal data if your use falls into any of the following categories:

• When the data held is being used only in connection with personal, family or household affairs, or for recreational use
• Where the data is being used only for preparing the text of documents
• Where the data is being used only for the calculation of wages and pensions or for the production of accounts
• Where the data is used for the distribution of articles or information (e.g. unsolicited mail, that is mail that advertises goods or services that you have not asked for).
• Where the data is held by a sports club or a recreational club that is not a limited company. (For example a big health club would most likely be a Ltd. company but the local Sunday League football club would not be.)