Hackney Council services are currently significantly disrupted due to a serious cyberattack, and you may experience difficulty contacting us or using our services. 

Key essential services, including our coronavirus response, continue to operate, but some of our services may be unavailable or disrupted for some time. 

Council staff are working hard to restore services, protect data and investigate the attack with the National Cyber Security Centre, National Crime Agency and external experts. 

Residents and businesses are asked to avoid contacting us unless absolutely necessary – but our phone lines remain open for essential help and advice and emergency support.

Below is a list of key services that are currently affected. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list, and some other services may be disrupted and slower than normal. This list will be updated regularly.

Payments

We are currently unable to accept some payments including: rents and service charges, council tax and business rates. Direct Debit payments are not affected. If all payment options are unavailable and you are unable to make a payment as a result of this, you will not be penalised.

Payments to some adult social care service users may not be paid.

The Council is currently unable to make some payments including: Discretionary Housing Payments, certain supplier payments, housing benefit. If you have not received a payment you were expecting and you need support and advice, please contact us. 

Housing

Non-emergency repairs may take longer than usual – if you have an existing appointment, please contact us to confirm or rearrange it. Emergency and urgent repairs should be reported by calling 020 8356 3691.

Applications and licenses

We are currently unable to accept new applications to join the housing waiting list, for housing benefit or for the council tax reduction scheme. Emergency homelessness support and advice is available. 

We are unable to process licence applications. 

Most planning services are unavailable, including planning applications and land searches.

Applications for visitor parking vouchers are unavailable.

Reporting and ordering

Residents are currently unable to report noise complaints.

Please note that there may be a delay in responding to other reports and orders across the Council.

Data protection

Hackney's Data Protection Officer is Nicholas Welburn, who can be reached on nicholas.dataprotection@hackney.gov.uk