Privacy Notice - Test and Trace Support Payments
Why we collect information about you
We collect and hold information about you, and those in your household to assess your eligibility and administer the award of Test and Trace Support Payments
How will we use the information we hold about you?
We may collect and process the following categories of information about you:
- Name and address
- Contact information, eg. telephone number/s, email address/es
- Track and Trace data
- Household details
- Financial information including household income/expenditure, including any existing benefits, mortgage or rent details
- Bank account details
- Employer’s and salary details
- National Insurance Number/s
We may also collect and process special category information such as:
- Health, disability and/or medical details
The information will be used to:
- The assessment of your entitlement to Test and Trace Support payments both mandatory and discretionary
- The award or payment of any entitlement;
- The protection of public funds.
What is the basis for us to process your data?
The basis for processing the data is because the council has a legal obligation to process data in this way, or is carrying out a task which is in the public interest (substantial public interest where special category data is concerned) which is supported in legislation:
Coronavirus Act 2020
Test and Trace Support payment guidance
COPI Notice: Covid-19 – Notice under Regulation 3(4) of the Health Service Control of Patient Information Regulations 2002
The prevention / detection of crime, including false representation in accordance with the Fraud Act.
Who we will share your information with
We will only share information with other organisations where it is necessary, either to comply with a legal obligation, or where permitted under Data Protection legislation, for example there is a public interest to do so such as the prevention and / or detection of crime. This could include the need to disclose sensitive or confidential information such as medical details to other organisations.
We may share information with your employer to verify your claim
We may share information that is given to us with other organisations that inspect or handle public funds to prevent and detect fraud including:
- Department for Works and Pensions
- HM Revenues and Customs
- National Audit Office
- Cabinet Office
- The Police
- NHS Test and Trace
- Other Local Authorities
The Cabinet Office is responsible for the National Fraud Initiative which carries out data matching exercises. Data matching is comparing computer records held by one organisation with other computer records held by the same organisation or a different one. This is usually personal information.
Computerised data matching allows us to identify claims and payments that may be fraudulent. A match means that there is an inconsistency between the sets of records that need investigating.
Other ways we may use your details
We may also use our customer details within the Council for:
- Keeping the electoral register up to date;
- Licensing private rented properties;
- Recovery of funds owed to the Council
- Internal audit procedures
- Other services areas within the Council where the law allows or requires it, or to improve the service you receive, for example; with our Council Tax team, or our Housing Management Team to enhance the management of your tenancy
We may share your information with enforcement agents and / or debt management organisations engaged by us and the courts in relation to outstanding money owed. It may also be necessary to share your information with credit reference agencies to help prevent and detect fraud and to confirm who is resident at an address.
The Council may utilise the services of Experian to help determine the best course of recovery action. For further information regarding Experian’s Privacy Policy, please visit their website: Experian
How long do we keep your records?
We will only keep your information for the minimum period necessary. Benefit applications and associated documents are kept for no longer than 7 years. All information will be held securely and will be securely destroyed when it is no longer required.
For further information:
For details regarding your rights under Data Protection law or how to make a complaint if you think we have mishandled your personal information, please visit: