The ICO has announced it will revise the timeline for the implementation of GDPR following Britain's plans to split from the EU.
Following the Secretary of State Karen Bradley MP telling the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee that "it would be expected and quite normal" for Britain to opt into GDPR, the ICO has kick-started its campaign to prepare for the move in 2018.
The department will "then look later at how best we might be able to help British business with data protection while maintaining high levels of protection for members of the public," Bradley added.
Denham explained she sees the preparations as a positive move for the UK and it's why the government has pushed for the changes to legislation over the last few years.
"The digital economy is primarily built upon the collection and exchange of data, including large amounts of personal data much of it sensitive," she said in a blog post. "Growth in the digital economy requires public confidence in the protection of this information."
Citizens want their data to be protected and therefore, it's vital the UK follows the rest of the European Union as it reforms its policies.
"The ICO is committed to assisting businesses and public bodies to prepare to meet the requirements of the GDPR ahead of May 2018 and beyond," Denham wrote. "Within the next month, we'll publish a revised timeline setting out what areas of guidance we'll be prioritising over the next six months."
She also addressed concerns from businesses and others about how it will be implemented, saying that these questions should not detract from compliance.
"We'll be working with government to stay at the centre of these conversations about the long-term future of UK data protection law and to provide our advice and counsel where appropriate," she finished.
