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Welfare Support Privacy Notice

The purpose of processing

The Welfare Support Team administers Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and applications for financial means under the Local Welfare Provision Scheme, including Discretionary Housing Payments.

Data subjects

Bath and North East Somerset Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and Local Welfare Provision Customers

Personal data

We will only request and retain the necessary and relevant information/evidence that is legally required or supports discretionary decisions. This will involve all members of a household.
Name
Contact details
Address (including historical addresses)
Date of birth
National Insurance number
Employment details
Income
Capital (including bank account numbers, sort codes and financial transactions)
Income and Expenditure
Household members
Disabilities/health information
Sexual preference
Immigration status
Prison sentences
Social Care Reports

How is it used?

We use this information to verify and assess entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, and whether they are eligible for any assistance under the council’s Local Welfare Provision and Discretionary Housing Payment Schemes.

Profiling and automated decision making

We use an automated process to send decision notices regarding Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.
If recipients do not respond appropriately this may have outcomes which negatively impact individuals.
However, if you feel you have received such correspondence from us in error, you have the right to request that the decision be reconsidered in a non-automated way.
You have the right to request that automated decision making be reviewed and replaced by non-automated means (i.e. decisions taken by one of our expert Council officers).
To exercise this right please email data_protection@bathnes.gov.uk

We may also use electronic contact details to notify people of future changes in the provisions of the service.
You have the right to request that automated decision making be reviewed and replaced by non-automated means (i.e. decisions taken by one of our expert Council officers). To exercise this right please email data_protection@bathnes.gov.uk

GDPR condition relied upon for processing personal data:

Article 6.1 e - Exercise of official authority
The legal basis for processing your data stems from the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 and the Welfare Reform Act 2012. These Acts enable secondary legislation which permits the processing of your data.

GDPR condition relied upon for processing special category data

Article 9.2 b - Social security/social protection

Sharing of personal data with external recipients

We may share personal data with government and public sector partners for statutory purposes which are compatible with our own. In particular this includes: HMCTS (The Courts and Tribunals Service), DWP (the Department for Work and Pensions), the DVLA (the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), the passport office, HMRC (Revenue and Customs), and the Valuation Office Agency.

The personal data described in this notice may also be shared internally with other services and external partners, for the prevention and detection of fraud and for the purposes of meeting the councils housing delivery responsibilities and homelessness duties and the council’s statutory duties in relation to social care for children and adults.

How long is the personal data retained by the Council?

Personal data will only be retained for as long as it is needed for the purpose specified above, or as required by applicable law or regulatory requirements or in line with department’s Retention Schedule.

Questions or concerns?

Please email data_protection@bathnes.gov.uk 

Appeals to the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you are unhappy about the way we have treated your personal data, or feel we have not properly respected your data subject rights, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and tell them about this.

You can also contact the ICO by phone on 0303 1231113.