GDPR compliant business backups: a practical guide for UK SMEs

You run a business with between 10 and 200 people. You’re not looking to become an expert in backup architecture — you’re trying to keep the business running, protect customer data and avoid fines or bad headlines. If that sounds familiar, this article is for you. It explains, in plain English, what GDPR compliant business backups actually mean for a UK firm and the practical steps to get there.

Why backups are a GDPR issue (and why it matters to your bottom line)

Many organisations think of backups as purely an IT thing: “copy files, job done.” In reality, how you back up personal data is a regulatory issue. The GDPR requires that personal data be processed securely, kept no longer than necessary and made available when requested. If a ransomware attack or a hardware failure wipes your records and you can’t restore them — or you restore a messy, uncontrolled copy — you’re not just losing time, you’re exposing the business to regulatory risk and reputational damage.

For a company of your size, the consequences are straightforward: operational downtime, potential ICO scrutiny, and the cost of remediation. That can mean lost orders, angry customers and extra hours for your team — all costs you can avoid with sensible backups aligned to GDPR principles.

What makes a backup GDPR compliant?

GDPR compliance for backups boils down to a few practical points rather than technical wizardry. Focus on these areas:

1. Know what personal data you hold

You can’t protect what you can’t find. Map where personal data lives — CRM systems, accounting software, spreadsheets tucked away on desktops — and ensure your backup scope covers those locations without creating unnecessary copies.

2. Lawful retention and tidy deletion

Backups tend to hoard data. Make sure your retention policy mirrors your data retention rules: hold personal data only as long as you need it, and have a process to prune older backups that would otherwise keep records beyond their lawful retention period.

3. Strong access control and encryption

GDPR expects personal data to be processed securely. That means restricting who can access backups, logging access, and encrypting backup data both at rest and in transit. For small teams, this is often a configuration task rather than a major investment.

4. Ability to restore accurately and promptly

Regulators and customers expect you to be able to retrieve data when required. Test restores regularly and ensure the format and structure of restored data match the original — a CSV full of weird encodings won’t cut it when you need to respond to a subject access request.

5. Contracts and third parties

If you use a cloud provider or managed service, treat them as a processor under GDPR. Document responsibilities in your contracts: who encrypts, who stores keys, who performs restores and how long backups are retained.

Practical checklist for business owners

Here’s a simple checklist you can run through in a management meeting. It’s designed for owners and directors who want concrete outcomes rather than a lecture on tape libraries.

• Data map completed and reviewed annually.
• Backup policy documented: scope, frequency, retention, roles and responsibilities.
• Regular restore tests: at least quarterly for critical systems.
• Access controls and encryption applied; admin accounts limited and audited.
• Processor agreements signed with any third-party backup provider.
• Retention limits enforced so backups don’t become permanent data hoards.
• Incident plan updated — including who to call and what communications to make if data is compromised.

Choices you’ll face (kept annoyingly simple)

There are two main architectures: on-premise backups or cloud-based backups. Both can be GDPR compliant if handled properly.

On-premise: more control, more responsibility. You’ll need physical security, tested restore procedures and someone responsible for hardware maintenance. It can make sense if you’re a local manufacturer or legal practice that keeps sensitive files on-site.

Cloud-based: easier to manage and scale, but watch the small print. Know where the data is stored, who can access it and whether the provider will assist with restores. Make sure the provider’s role and your role are clearly documented in your records of processing activities.

If you’re deciding which route to take, it helps to read a straightforward summary of data backup for businesses that outlines practical options for companies like yours.

Testing and governance: the bit businesses skip at their peril

Testing is the business equivalent of fire drills. You might never need a restore — but the day you do, you want it to be quick and reliable. Schedule realistic restore tests that mimic real incidents: corrupted files, single-record restores for subject access requests, and full-system recoveries for major outages.

Governance means assigning responsibility. Who signs off the backup policy? Who is responsible for testing? Make sure the board or leadership team sees a short quarterly report so backup hygiene is part of governance, not just an IT ticket.

Handling subject access requests and deletion requests

Backups complicate the GDPR obligation to comply with subject access and deletion requests. The practical approach is twofold: (1) ensure you can restore relevant data quickly when asked, and (2) document your process for dealing with deletion requests where data still exists in backups. Often the lawful approach is to restore and delete the specific data, rather than expose backups to uncontrolled truncation.

Small touch, big difference: logging and documentation

Keep an accessible log of backup schedules, tests, restores and any incidents. This is the first thing an investigator will ask for, and it’s far easier to produce a few well-kept records than to reconstruct events after an incident. Local regulators and the ICO want to see that you’ve taken reasonable steps — paperwork that’s factual and current goes a long way.

Real-world perspective

From running continuity workshops with manufacturers in Sheffield to advising agencies in Brighton, the recurring theme is the same: businesses underestimate the operational cost of poor backups until it’s too late. Practical measures — a sensible retention policy, regular restore tests, and clear contracts — prevent the small problems from becoming emergencies.

FAQ

How often should we back up data to be GDPR compliant?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Frequency should match business need: critical systems might need hourly snapshots; less-critical data could be daily. The key is that your chosen cadence is documented and tested so you can restore within acceptable timeframes.

Can encrypted backups still be subject to a subject access request?

Yes. Encryption is about protecting data in storage and transit. If a subject makes a request, you must be able to decrypt and provide their data. That’s why key management and documented processes are essential.

What if our backup provider goes out of business?

Plan for it. Contractually require exportability of your data, and test the export process. Regularly verify that backups are accessible and that you could migrate if needed.

Do we need to include backup details in our privacy notice?

Your privacy notice should cover how you process personal data and who the processors are. You don’t need to publish technical backup details, but you should be clear about the purposes and retention periods.

How often should we review our backup policy?

At least annually, and whenever you change systems or handle new categories of personal data. A quick review after a staffing or process change is worth the five minutes it takes.

GDPR compliant business backups are less about tech bravado and more about sensible policies, regular testing and clear accountability. Make backups part of your risk management, not an afterthought. Do the work now and you’ll save time, money and a lot of sleepless nights later. If you want calmer operations and fewer surprises, set a date this quarter to review your backup policy and test a restore — it pays dividends in time, cost and credibility.