Uttlesford Citizens Advice Privacy Policy
At Uttlesford Citizens Advice, we collect and use your personal information to help solve your problems, improve our services and tackle wider issues in society that affect people’s lives.
This privacy policy explains how we use your information and what your rights are.
We handle and store your personal information in line with data protection law and our confidentiality policy. The following pages tell you more about how we use your information in more detail.
Our network
Uttlesford Citizens Advice is an independent charity and a member of the national Citizens Advice charity.
All members of the Citizens Advice network are responsible for keeping your personal information safe and making sure data protection law is followed.
Members of the network sometimes work together and use some of the same systems to process your personal data. In these instances we are joint data controllers for these activities.
Jointly controlled data
All offices in the Citizens Advice network use some joint systems to carry out our activities. These include joint case management systems, telephony platforms and more.
Staff from a different local Citizens Advice can only access your personal information in a joint system if they have a good reason. For example when:
- you go to a different office to seek advice
- more than one office is working together in partnership
- they need to investigate a complaint or incident
We have rules and controls in place to stop people accessing or using your information when they shouldn’t.
Tell an adviser if you’re worried about your details being on a national system. We’ll work with you to take extra steps to protect your information – for example by recording your problem without using your name.
National Citizens Advice delivered support
National Citizens Advice, with the support of different local Citizens Advice services and other partners, do provide some non-geographic general advice services and some projects, for example, ‘Help to Claim’, ‘Pension Wise’ and the ‘Citizens Advice Consumer Service’. To find out how National Citizens Advice store and use personal data and the case management system please refer to the privacy notice available on their website.
This policy covers the data processing we carry out in our local office.
How Uttlesford Citizens Advice use your data for advice
This section covers how we use your data to provide you with advice.
How we collect your information
You might give us information about yourself and your problem over the phone or in person, via videolink, by sending us an email or completing an online form. We may also receive information from referral partners on your behalf.
What information we collect
We’ll only ask for information that’s relevant to your problem. Depending on what you want help with, this might include:
- your name and contact details – so we can keep in touch with you about your case
- personal information – for example about family, work or financial circumstances
- details about services you get that are causing you problems – like energy or housing issues
- information like your gender, ethnicity, health or sexual orientation
If you don’t want to give us certain information, you don’t have to. For example, if you want to stay anonymous, we’ll only record information about your problem and make sure you’re not identified.
How we store your information
National Citizens Advice is responsible for managing any data in joint client case records. For more information please see their privacy notice. Client and case data is held in our case management system for 6 years after the last interaction with us. If your case has been subject to a serious complaint, insurance claim or other dispute, we keep the data for 16 years.
We use a secure cloud-based system for email and document sharing, requiring 2-step verification to log in. Emails containing details about client problems are updated onto our case management system and are deleted (within 1 month).
If you call us, we will retain your number in our VOIP telephone system, unless you have blocked it. We use this information solely for the purpose of reporting demand and improving our service.
What we use your information for
The main reason we ask for your information is to help solve your problem. We only access your information for other reasons if we really need to – for example:
- for training and quality purposes
- to investigate complaints
- to get feedback from your about our services
- to help us improve our services
Our confidentiality policy
At Citizens Advice we have a confidentiality policy which states that anything you Citizens Advice consumer service tell us as part of advice will not be shared outside of the Citizens Advice network unless you provide your permission for us to do so.
There are some exceptions to this such as needing to share:
- to prevent an immediate risk of harm to an individual
- in select circumstances if it is in the best interests of the client
- where we are compelled to do so by law (e.g. a court order or meeting statutory disclosures)
- where there is an overriding public interest such as to prevent harm against someone or to investigate a crime
- to defend against a complaint or legal claim
- to protect our name and reputation, for example to provide our side of a story reported in the press
Who we share your information with
When you give us authority to act on your behalf, for example to help you with a Universal Credit claim, we’ll need to share information with that third party. We will only share information with your consent.
We regularly work with the Department for Work and Pensions, Uttlesford District Council, HM Revenue and Customs, utility companies, housing associations, credit card and loan companies, banks and GP practices.
Uttlesford Citizens Advice utilises essexfrontline.org.uk to make and receive secure referrals when consent from a client has been given. The system is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under Frontline Referrals Ltd. Frontline data is stored in the UK. Client or patient data is only held for a maximum of 90 days; after this time personal data is ‘blacked out’ and non-recoverable.
When consent to share is given, information may also be shared in a hard copy form or via a secure link in an email.
Due to the volume of referrals we send to Uttlesford District Council and Uttlesford Food Bank we have a specific data sharing agreement.
Our lawful basis for using your information
We have a legitimate interest under UK GDPR regulations to use client data to offer information, advice and guidance. Please contact us if you would like more information about this lawful basis.
How Uttlesford Citizens Advice use your data for research, feedback and statistics
This section covers how we use your data to carry out our research, feedback and statistical work.
What we use your information for
We use non-identifiable information for research and presentations – for example, showing how demand for help with utility debt has increased over the last 5 years.
We use non-identifiable information when sharing case-studies – for example, explaining how someone has found applying online for a Blue Badge to be a barrier to maintaining their independence.
We use non-identifiable information to ensure we are providing a good service to our clients – for example, analysing anonymised feedback from surveys.
How we collect your information
In the process of giving advice, speaking with residents, using surveys, and receiving feedback.
Who we share your information with
All information we share for research and reporting purposes is based on non-identifiable data. We create a yearly impact report, an annual report, management and operational reporting, ad hoc news articles, newsletters for stakeholders, quantitive and qualitive reports for our current and prospective funders and stakeholders.
Our lawful basis for using your information
We have a legitimate interest to carry out statistical analysis and research using our client data, and in processing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) data to ensure we are promoting equity and diversity in our service (clients, volunteers and employees have the option to not share this information). Please contact us if you would like more information about this lawful basis.
How Uttlesford Citizens Advice use your data for fundraising and donations
We regularly communicate to our stakeholders to raise awareness of our work. In the course of raising awareness we will often include details of fundraising campaigns. This section covers how we use your data to carry out our fundraising activities.
How we collect your information
We collect names and emails of stakeholders through public websites, through meetings and correspondence. We also collect details from Funders if they have shared their contact details in the course of making a donation or attending fundraising events.
What information we collect
We hold stakeholder’s names and email addresses on our email marketing system. Stakeholder’s can simply opt-out of receiving information through this system by unsubscribing.
What we use your information for
We securely store this contact information for the purposes of giving regular updates (e.g., newsletters, annual impact report), reporting how we spent the money and/or making requests for future funding.
Who we share your information with
We do not share this information.
Our lawful basis for using your information
We have a legitimate interest in holding and using this information. Please contact us if you would like more information about this lawful basis.
How Uttlesford Citizens Advice use your data when applying to work or volunteer
How we collect your information
We ask potential volunteers/employees to tell us about themselves via an application form and/or expression of interest form, and in person during interviews.
What information we collect
Personal details, previous experience, skills and areas of interest, referee contact details. We ask successful candidates to complete a criminal record self-disclosure form and to prove their right to work (employees) or their identity (volunteers).
What we use your information for
We use the information collected during the recruitment process to assess candidates’ suitability and to obtain references. We may also ask volunteers or employees to arrange DBS checks when appropriate.
Who we share your information with
When appropriate, we share contact details with our DBS check provider, who will then ask the candidate to contact them directly.
Our lawful basis for using your information
We have a legitimate interest to collect and use information during the recruitment process, and in processing EDI data to ensure we are promoting equity and diversity in our service (clients, volunteers and employees have the option to not share this information). Please contact us if you would like more information about this lawful basis.
How Uttlesford Citizens Advice use your data when using our website
We collect data from users of our website in several ways. We have a form for clients who would like to contact the advice team by email. This asks for personal details including a brief explanation of the client’s problem, for the purpose of offering advice. We also have an ‘expression of interest’ form, asking for the personal details of potential volunteers, so that we can contact them to begin the process of recruitment.
The website also collects users’ data using cookies, as detailed in the ‘How we use cookies’ section of the website. These include cookies to manage hosting and sessions, in order to optimise the user’s experience, and Google Analytics cookies, which track aspects of users’ interactions with the website (e.g., length of visit, pages accessed, terms searched), in order to help us improve our service. We will tell you the cookies are there on your first use of the website and get your consent to store the cookie on your device.
Who we share your information with
Information from forms completed on our website are shared into our secure email system and are then deleted in our website contact management system within 24 hours.
Statistics held in Google Analytics relating to the use of our website are shared with our stakeholders.
Our lawful basis for using your information
We have a legitimate interest in processing web information. Please contact us if you would like more information about this lawful basis.
How we use cookies on our website
See ‘How we use cookies’ on our website.
Third party processors
Third party processors are other organisations that carry out data processing on our behalf and we have agreements in line with data protection law.
| Processor name | Activities | Data hosting location |
|---|---|---|
| Email Octopus | Email Marketing | Ireland |
| Frontline Referrals Limited | Handling Referrals | UK |
| Google Workspace | Email and data storage | UK |
| WordPress | Website content management system | UK |
| Citizens Advice Casebook | Client Management | EEA – wherever possible UK |
| Trustfolio | Open Banking Reports | UK |
Your data protection rights
You have rights in relation to your personal data that we hold. Your rights include being able to request:
- Access to copies of your data
- Corrections are made to inaccurate data
- Deletion of your personal data
- Object to how we use your personal data
These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every circumstance. For more information about your rights you can visit the ICO website.
To make a data protection rights request you can do so by emailing manager@uttlesfordca.org.uk.
Raising a concern about how we use your information
If you are concerned about how we have handled your personal information please contact us at manager@uttlesfordca.org.uk.
You can also contact the national charity if you are unhappy with how we have used your personal data or wish to raise a concern about how a local office has handled your personal data. To do so you can email us at DPO@citizensadvice.org.uk
Contacting the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
You can also raise your concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office which regulates data protection law in the UK. if you are unhappy with how we have used your personal information. They will normally expect you to have made a complaint to us directly in the first instance.
- Visit the ICO website.
- Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
- Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
