Learning 2 – Principles and lawful processing
Completion requirements
1. Section 2: Principles and lawful processing
1.2. 2.2 The seven lawful bases
2.2 The seven lawful bases
The legal justification required for each processing purpose.
| Basis | Use when processing is necessary because… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Consent | the person has made a valid, informed and unambiguous choice. | Optional email marketing with a clear opt-in. |
| Contract | it is needed for a contract with the person or requested pre-contract steps. | Using an address to deliver an online order. |
| Legal obligation | it is needed to comply with a legal duty. | Keeping certain tax or employment records. |
| Vital interests | it is needed to protect someone's life. | Sharing urgent medical information when a person cannot consent. |
| Public task | it is needed for an official function or task in the public interest with a basis in law. | A public authority performing a statutory function. |
| Recognised legitimate interest | it is needed for a listed recognised public-interest purpose. | Certain disclosures requested by a public body in support of a public task, where the statutory conditions are met. |
| Legitimate interests | it is needed for a legitimate interest and the balancing test favours the processing. | Proportionate fraud prevention or network security in suitable circumstances. |
Recognised legitimate interest is not a blanket exemption. Necessity, the defined purpose and all other UK GDPR requirements still apply. Public authorities cannot use this basis for processing in the performance of their public tasks.
Choosing and recording the basis
- Define the exact purpose.
- Test whether the processing is genuinely necessary.
- Compare the bases and choose the one that best matches the facts.
- Record the reasoning before processing.
- Reflect the basis in the privacy information.
- Review the decision if the purpose or method changes.
Official reference points
Legal accuracy: reviewed against official UK sources on 14 July 2026. This learning content is educational and is not a substitute for case-specific legal advice.