Mum hit by data blunder

A mum from the West Country is to get compensation after having her personal details mishandled by three different Government departments.

A mistake at the tax credit office meant her details were changed to her ex-partner's address, affecting her payents and it took her nearly two years to get it changed.

A report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman has criticised the government agencies for collectively failing to put things right. 

After discovering her details had been changed the Bristol woman, who we can't name, tried to find out why and sought an assurance they had been corrected, but she was passed from one government agency to the next, each denying responsibility.  She then took the matter to her MP who referred it to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman has recommended she is given an apology, £2,000 compensation and an assurance that her details have been checked on every database owned by the three agencies involved.