Housing and Council Tax benefit - privacy notice

The Data Controller for the information outlined in this privacy notice is Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (RBBC).

Why we are going to collect the data

The information you provide will help the Council decide what help you need in relation to resolving your housing issue/s and to prevent or resolve homelessness.

We also collect and hold information about you, and those in your household, to assess and administer the award of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

The information also feeds into a statutory data return to central government. The Government use this information to establish how effective strategies are to prevent and resolve homelessness on a national basis.

The information submitted to the Council on your Housing application forms will be used to process and prioritise applications for social housing in line with the Council’s Housing Register and Allocation Policy.

What information we will hold about you

We may collect personal information about you, and where relevant will also collect and process information relating to all members of your household, including your partner, children and anyone else living with you or expected to live with you.

The data will include the following:

• name
• address & previous addresses
• email
• telephone number
• age
• National Insurance number
• health information
• financial information including but not exhaustive, details of all income and capital, child care costs, debts and assets
• name of employer or pension provider
• details of third parties authorised to act on your behalf

How we will use the information we hold about you

We will collect information about you for:

• the assessment of your entitlement to benefits and support
• the assessment of your homeless application
• the allocation of social housing
• complying with legal obligations, for example the prevention or detection of crime including fraud
• the protection of public funds (for example the National Fraud Initiative)

Within the Council we will share the information between service areas to:

• keep the electoral register up to date
• help with the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
• recover funds owed to the Council
• inform internal audit procedures
• improve the service you receive or share between departments where the law allows or requires it; for example, with our Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Family Support and Environmental Health Teams to enhance the management of children and/or adult services
• compare the information you have provided, or information about you that someone else has provided, with other information held
• gather feedback from you as a user of Council services

What is the legal basis for us to process your data?

The legal bases for processing your personal information are:

• compliance with our legal obligations including under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended), Housing Acts 1985, 1988, 1996, and 2004, the Homelessness Act 2002, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, Housing and Planning Act 2016, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Children Acts 1989 and 2004, Equality Act 2010, Human Rights Act 1998 and any associated regulations, statutory guidance and codes of guidance
• tasks carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority
• contract for the supply of services
• consent

Who we will share your information with

We have specific data sharing agreements in place with local agencies and sometimes the law requires that we may have to pass your details on to a third party, for example, to prevent crime.

Information will only ever be shared when it is strictly necessary to help us provide effective services, and you may have the right to refuse. We will not pass it onto any other third parties unless required to do so by law, or in all reasonable circumstances the disclosure is fair and warranted for the purposes of processing or subject to a legal requirement.

Only the minimum information for the purpose will be shared.

We may share your data with:

• the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for the purpose of evaluating and researching homelessness nationally (see the MHCLG Privacy Notice on our website)
• private sector landlords
• housing associations
• lettings agents
• health services
• education services
• Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Jobcentre Plus
• National Fraud Initiative,
• the police, prisons, probation, or youth offending services
• providers of emergency accommodation or contractors that repair the Council's emergency accommodation,
• debt collection agencies acting on behalf of the Council
• Citizens Advice
• voluntary sector organisations
• for the purpose of gathering your feedback as one of the Council's customers.

How long will we keep your records?

Housing applications and associated documents are kept for no longer than 7 years from when they were last updated. To determine how long we should keep information, we consider what legislation requires and what good practice is.

All information will be held securely, and will be securely destroyed when it is no longer required.

Will any of your data be used for profiling and/or automated decisions?

The Council does not carry out automated decision-making, and as such any decision taken by us which affects you will always include human intervention. We do on occasion carry out profiling to enable us, as a local authority, to target services to those in society who are in need of help and support and who may suffer harm without our assistance.

Will any of your data be transferred abroad?

No.

Your rights

You have a number of rights under data protection law. The Council’s over-arching privacy notice contains details of those rights and how to exercise them.

Your responsibilities: providing accurate information

It is important that we hold accurate and up to date information about you in order to assess your needs and deliver the appropriate services. If any of your details have changed, or change in the future, please ensure that you inform us as soon as possible so that we can update your records. housing.advice@reigate-banstead.gov.uk or call 01737 276 790.

Questions or concerns?

If you have any concerns about how we are collecting or using your personal data please contact our Data Protection Officer:

• data.protection@reigate-banstead.gov.uk
• 01737 276 000 (ask to speak to the Data Protection Officer).

You can also contact to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights:

• ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
• Information Commissioner’s Office website
• 0303 123 1113

Last updated: August 2018