Redress Church of England
Apology and Next Steps Regarding Recent Email Incident
Further to my statement dated 4th September 2025, we have been working hard to rebuild trust in the Redress Scheme, and the role of Kennedys in administrating that scheme.
I have listened to feedback provided and we recognise the need to proactively and compassionately address the question of compensation for the breach. As we seek to rebuild trust, yesterday I contacted each person individually whose email addresses were inadvertently disclosed when an email was sent about the Church of England Redress Scheme, setting out a compensation offer that Kennedys is making.
We have ensured impacted individuals will not need to go through any court proceedings or protracted assessment processes in order to accept this redress from Kennedys.
To be eligible for the compensation you must have registered on the redresscofe.org landing page and your email address must have been inadvertently disclosed.
I want to be clear that this compensation is offered by Kennedys in relation to the data breach. It does not impact any potential claims people may make in the future as a Survivor of Church-related abuse under the Church of England’s Redress Scheme.
I would like to once again apologise for what happened and reiterate our unwavering commitment to the Redress Scheme and supporting victims and survivors in their journey moving forward.
Helen Snowball
Published 4 September 2025
I want to, once again, express my sincere apologies for the unfortunate incident that occurred last week, in which email addresses were inadvertently disclosed when an email was sent to you regarding the Church of England Redress Scheme.
I recognise the concern this error must have caused you, and as a firm, we are sorry if this incident has impacted the trust that you have in the Redress Scheme. We are treating this incident with the utmost importance and all recipients remain at the forefronts of our minds as we continue to navigate this process.
While I am endeavouring to liaise with recipients on an individual basis, I wanted to provide an update to all recipients in order to share information regarding what we have done since the incident, our planned next steps, and further support that may be available to you.
Please note that this update is a communication to all recipients. As such, some of you may have already received similar information, and this update may not directly address some of your most recent questions. I am endeavouring to respond to your most recent individual questions as quickly as possible.
Incident response
Due to an unfortunate human error, the email that was sent from Kennedys inadvertently displayed the addresses of all recipients. We are now implementing technical, supervisory and educational measures to prevent this happening again. We are also implementing additional controls and safeguards that require multiple sign-offs before emails to Redress Scheme registrants are sent.
We are working closely with the Church of England and those leading the Scheme to determine how best to rebuild trust in the Redress Scheme, and to ensure those affected are adequately supported.
Importantly, we take full responsibility for this incident and acknowledge the need for us to engage proactively and in a timely manner.
Individual Liaison and Support
We have received a number of complaints and requests and are endeavouring to respond to each email individually. If you have been impacted and wish to lodge a complaint, or if you have any related questions or concerns and haven’t yet been in touch, you can contact me directly at helen_snowball@kennedyslaw.com.
We have a dedicated team in place who are entirely focused on this matter and are available to address your personal concerns and questions support you personally.
Many of you have made us aware of the impact that subsequent replies from other recipients are having on you. We understand it can be distressing to receive further messages from the original thread, so to assist, we have included some guidance on our website that may help reduce or stop further messages coming to your inbox.
In addition, we would again ask that you do not communicate with any recipient unless you have received their express permission to do so. If you are continuing to receive unwanted emails this constitutes a misuse of your personal data and independent legal advice can be obtained if further guidance is required on this issue.
NAPAC
We recognise that the impact of the Kennedys data breach may mean that you require additional emotional support.
If you, or anyone affected by the data breach, wants to access support that is completely independent of Kennedys and The Church of England, you can call or email The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC).
NAPAC provides a free, confidential and anonymous support service for adult survivors of any type of childhood abuse. The caller is in charge, and a qualified support facilitator can provide an empathetic ear while you talk about whatever you need to.
As a national support service, NAPAC experiences high demand and in busier periods you mayhave the option to wait in a call queue. Generally, the best time to get through is between 5 PM and 9 PM, when call volumes tend to be lower.
If waiting on the line feels difficult, you can also email NAPAC. NAPAC’s email support service allows you to read and reflect on responses in your own time and engage at a pace that feels right for you. They aim to reply within 48 hours of receiving an email.
They can be contacted via phone on 0808 801 0331 or via email at support@napac.org.uk
If you aren’t yet ready to speak to someone, NAPAC also has a series of emotional support booklets that are free to read and download.
Finally, I would like to reiterate my deepest apologies for what happened and the impact it has had.
Sincerely,
Helen Snowball
About this page
Redress Church of England is the name of the redress scheme for survivors of Church-related abuse.
The scheme is not yet open to receive applications. Draft legislation approved by the Church must still pass through the required parliamentary stages. The opening date of the scheme therefore depends on its passage through parliament.
Redress Church of England will run independently of the Church of England to ensure all applications are assessed fairly and consistently so that everyone can have confidence in the scheme. The application process has been designed to be as straightforward as possible, allowing individuals to share their experiences in a way that feels right for them.
Eligible applicants may receive an offer of financial redress, therapy, spiritual and emotional support, acknowledgment of wrongdoing on the part of the Church, and apology. Eligible applicants may also have the opportunity to explore other forms of bespoke redress suited to them, helping to ensure the outcomes are meaningful and the redress they receive begins to address their individual needs.
Signposting to external emotional support will be available throughout the application process, and funding of legal assistance will ensure applicants fully understand the process and their rights at every step, helping them make informed decisions.
Register to receive updates
We recognise that waiting for the opportunity to apply for redress may raise uncomfortable emotions.
To help at this time, we have created a simple notification system to keep you updated. If you are interested in the redress scheme, you can register to receive notifications by entering your email address below. Your email data will be processed by Kennedys, the independent scheme administrator, and will never be shared with the Church of England.
By registering, you will receive occasional email updates to keep you informed.
Important: Registering to receive notifications is not an application for redress. All applicants will need to submit an application when the scheme is open.
Register
Questions and further information
We understand you may have questions about the scheme. If so, please visit the redress page on the Church of England website here. The Church will continue to update this page with answers to frequently asked questions.
How to report abuse and find support
If you need access to support, please contact the Safe Spaces helpline, a free, confidential service for survivors of Church-related abuse, by calling 0300 303 1056. Alternatively, the Church of England lists external support services, including listening, advice, and counselling services, on its website here. Here you will also find advice on how to report abuse.
Privacy Statement
Privacy Statement
Purpose and scope
This website is to register your interest in Redress Church of England, the redress scheme for survivors of Church-related abuse, and receive updates and notifications about the scheme. It is not for applications to this scheme nor for any other purpose.
What data we process and why
As part of the redress scheme we, Kennedys, will collect and process your personal data. This data comes directly from what you have entered into this registration form. Personal data is information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
We will collect and process your contact details: name and email address.
We will ensure that we treat all personal information in accordance with data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). Data protection law states that the personal information that we hold about you must be:
- Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner.
- Collected for specific purposes which we have explained to you, and will not be used in any other way which is incompatible with those purposes.
- Relevant to the purposes we have explained to you and limited to those purposes only.
- Accurate and kept up to date.
- Held only for as long as is necessary for the purposes that we have explained to you.
- Processed or held in a way that ensures security.
Legal basis for the processing
Our legal basis for processing your data under Art 6 of UKGDPR is:
(a) Consent: by completing the form you have given consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes listed above.
You have the right to withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data at any time by contacting us at dataprotection@kennedyslaw.com.
If you do withdraw your consent before we send out the notification, we will delete your registration form and will not provide you with any further updates regarding the redress scheme.
What else we may do with it or where will we share it?
There may be other circumstances in which we may lawfully share your data with third parties where, for example, we are required to do so by law, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crimes. Where we are required to share your data we will do so in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
How long we keep your data
We will retain your personal data until the opening of the Redress scheme.
Your rights
As your personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you have the right to:
- Withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data at any time.
In certain circumstances you have the right to:
- Access – request information about how your personal data is processed and to request a copy of that personal data.
- Object – request that your data is not processed for certain purposes.
- Erasure – request that your personal data is erased where one of the statutory grounds applies.
- Data portability – the right to obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes across different services in certain circumstances.
- Restrict processing – request that the processing of your personal data is restricted in certain circumstances – for example, where accuracy is contested.
- Rectification – request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay. Request that any incomplete personal data is completed, including by means of a supplementary statement.
How to contact us
If you have any questions about anything in this notice, or if you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled contact us at: dataprotection@kennedyslaw.com
Complaints
You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner online at:
Data protection and personal information complaints tool | ICO,
or by phone on 0303 123 1113 (local rate).
Changes to this notice
We may modify or amend this privacy notice
at our discretion at any time. When we make changes to this notice, we will amend the last modified date at the bottom of this page. Any modification or amendment to this privacy notice will be applied to you and your data as of that revision date.
26th August 2025