Breach of confidence in English law

Breach of confidence in English law is an equitable doctrine which allows a person to claim a remedy where their confidence has been breached. A duty of confidence arises when confidential information comes to the knowledge of a person in circumstances where it would be unfair if it were disclosed to others.^[1] Breach of confidence gives rise to a civil claim. The Human Rights Act has developed the law on breach of confidence so that it now applies to private bodies as well as public ones.^[1]

English courts will recognise a breach of confidence if the following three things are present:

• The information has “the necessary degree of confidence about it”
• The information was provided in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence
• There was an unauthorised use or disclosure of that information and, at least, the risk of damage

See also

• Privacy in English law

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcementguide/court/reporting-breach.htm

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