Data breach study reveals Preston is one of the most digitally secure cities in UK
Preston has been ranked as one of the most digitally secure cities in the UK, with just three recorded data breaches in a recent study, compared to 39 at worst-ranked Bristol City Council
A study has revealed that Preston is one of the most digitally secure cities in the UK
A study between July 2025 and June this year, found 157 records of data breaches involving 36 city councils.
Preston was among the best on the list with just three recorded breaches during this period, compared with 39 at worst ranked Bristol City Council.
The ranking was compiled bu Wolfstone Digital and involved completed cases,
Derby ranks second with 15 cases, followed by Edinburgh with 14. Manchester recorded eight cases, while Stoke-on-Trent had seven.
Adam Woodhead, tech expert at Wolfstone Digital, said: “Local councils hold a particularly broad range of information, from names and addresses to benefits, housing, education and social-care records.
“This means even an incident involving basic personal details can create opportunities for convincing follow-up scams.
“Residents should be cautious of unexpected messages that refer to genuine dealings with their council. Knowing someone’s address, council area or service history does not prove that the sender is legitimate, as accurate details may have been obtained through an earlier breach.
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“Anyone receiving an unexpected request for payment or personal information should leave the message and contact the council using a telephone number or website found independently.
“They should not rely on links, numbers or contact details supplied in the original communication.”
The figures represent cases closed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) during the periodr.
The totals also do not indicate how many residents were affected, the severity of each incident or the overall security of an authority. Cases transferred to formal ICO investigations were excluded from the published closure data.
UK city councils ranked by ICO-recorded data-breach cases
- Bristol - 39 cases
- Derby - 15 cases
- Edinburgh - 14 cases
- Manchester - 8 cases
- Stoke-on-Trent - 7 cases
- Hull - 6 cases
- Southampton - 6 cases
- Dundee - 5 cases
- Glasgow - 4 cases
- Bradford, Canterbury, Coventry, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield and York - 3 cases each