The UK Student Loans Company (SLC), which is the terror of all students who have got their first job, has said sorry for sending the email addresses of thousands of students to the wrong people.

The organisation said the addresses were included in an email sent to “other customers,” but the SLC could not go into any more details about the customers. Apparently it was all the result of an administrative error, but no other personal student data was shared, the SLC said.

“We have contacted all customers affected to let them know about this issue,” the SLC said. “The integrity and security of student accounts and the protection of personal information is vital to us and we apologise to all of the students involved.” More than 8,000 people were supposed to have been affected by the breach.

The SLC is responsible for handing out student grants, delivering means-tested awards via its Student Finance England subsidiary. Data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office said it was looking into the matter.