A former Labour candidate and a victim of Sutton Council’s data bungle has called for an independent inquiry.

Emily Brothers, who is blind and receives disability benefits, said her her name was inadvertently published by Sutton Council, including the amount of money given to her.

Hundreds of people who received payments in May and June this year for disability, adoption, fostering allowances, day care respite and special needs education that totalled over £500 had their names and payments listed on Sutton Council’s website.

The information has since been redacted and the council has issued an apology.

“My initial reaction was here we go again,” Ms Brothers told Sutton Guardian. “The Liberal Democrat Sutton Council is being flaky with people’s data and is taking a cavalier approach to their personal information.”

Not only was Emily’s data made public by the council, she claims that the benefit figure the council released was inaccurate.

“Another concern is the figure is substantially more than what I received. I wonder what an auditor would think?”

She added: “They have disclosed information about people’s names and many will be vulnerable.”

Ms Brothers has written to Sutton Council's chief executive Niall Bolger, and leader of the Liberal Democrat-run Sutton Council, Ruth Dombey, asking them to launch an independent inquiry.

The active community member suggested the council should contact all recipients of payment and foster carers to inform them of the breach and explain what rights they have in complaining.

She added that she sent an official complaint to the Information Commission.

Ms Brothers added: "From my point of view, this is bad for anyone that’s been a victim of a data breach, but also people like me who have some profile in community because issues around my disability and my needs are exposed.

“It makes me vulnerable, it makes me wonder what will come out next.”

Sutton Guardian contacted Sutton Council for a statement. The local authority said no decision had been made regarding whether victims will be notified of the breach.

A spokesperson said: "We are analysing the information that was incorrectly released to establish the number of individuals affected. We will have regard to ICO guidance in deciding whether to notify individuals whose name has been released. This includes taking account of the risk of harm (including physical, financial or reputational) to those individuals. The Council has notified the ICO of the breach and we have taken steps to ensure that this does not recur.

"It is not appropriate for the council to provide further comment regarding any payment to any individual."