Confidentiality-designation redaction is the removal of personal data from documents marked under a CPR 31.22 collateral-use restriction. That restriction is the modern, codified form of the implied undertaking the House of Lords recognised in Home Office v Harman [1983] 1 AC 280. anonym.plus runs locally and leaves the level stamp, so the designation stays in place.
When this applies
A confidentiality regime sets levels such as Confidential or Outer/Inner ring, and the rule restricts what the receiving party may do with the material outside the case. That restriction lifts automatically once the document is read to or by the court in public — unless the court orders otherwise — so a document heading for a public Business and Property Courts hearing needs its PII cleared before that moment, not after.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the marked files into anonym.plus on your device.
- It reserves the level-stamp zone.
- The tool flags names, contacts, and IDs in the body.
- Confirm the flags away from the marked zone.
- Redact or mask each confirmed item.
- Save the clean files on your device.
What you need to provide
- The marked files (PDF, DOCX, or scan).
- A reserved zone for the designation stamp.
- An operator; Redact for inner-ring material.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | individual name → [NAME] |
| Account | UK_SORT_CODE | sort code → [SORT_CODE] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | NINO → [NINO] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | email → [EMAIL] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | date → [DATE] |
| Document IDs | PERSON | CONFIDENTIAL stamp → [LEVEL] |
Compliance achieved
- Keeps the level stamp set under a CPR 31.22(1) collateral-use restriction.
- Recognises that the restriction can lift once a document is read in open court, under CPR 31.22(1)(a), unless the court orders otherwise under CPR 31.22(2).
- Traces back to the implied undertaking recognised in Home Office v Harman [1983] 1 AC 280.
- Offline work keeps protected material inside your firm.
Anonymise designated documents offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
A confidentiality level and PII redaction are different controls. Clearing names does not lower the marking, and a label does not remove PII. Apply both, and confirm the marking survives the redaction pass on each file.
Frequently asked questions
Does redaction change the confidentiality level?
No. A reserved zone keeps the designation stamp, so a Confidential or inner-ring file stays marked under rule 31.22(1) while its identifiers are cleared.
Why redact PII if the collateral-use rule already limits use?
Rule 31.22(1) restricts collateral use between the parties, but that restriction can lift the moment a document is read to or by the court in open proceedings. Clearing PII in advance protects people even if the restriction later falls away.
Can it handle inner-ring material?
Yes. Work is local, so the most sensitive tier never reaches an outside server, and the court can still be asked to keep the restriction in place beyond a public hearing if needed.