Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Privacy Notice
The purposes for which we use your personal data
The information we collect about you will be used for the purpose(s) of:
- Administering entitlement to Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction
- Performing Ceredigion County Council’s role in the exercise of official authority or public interest
The lawful basis for the processing of your information is:
- Social Security Administration Act
- Housing Benefit Regulations
- The Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Prescribed and Default Scheme) (Wales)
- The prevention/detection of crime, including false representation in accordance with the Fraud Act and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement) (Wales) Regulations
What if you do not provide personal data?
If you do not give us the information we need when we ask for it, this may result in your application for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction not being processed.
What type of information do we use?
We may collect the following types of personal data about you to deliver this service, depending on your circumstances:
- Name
- Address
- Date of birth
- National Insurance Number
- Gender
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Bank/payment details
- Your family composition
- Your social circumstances
- Your financial circumstances
- Employment details
- Your housing needs
- Information about your health
- Your racial or ethnic origin
Non-dependants – persons aged 18 or over who live with you in your home as their main residence on a non-commercial basis. We will need their information in order to work out your benefit entitlement.
Do we use information received from other sources?
To provide this service, we collect information directly from you but may also receive information from the following sources:
- Other Council departments
- Other Government agencies such as the Department of Work and Pensions, HM Revenues and Customs, Police and other Councils
- Credit Agencies
- Employers
The types of personal data which may be obtained are as above.
Transferring your information abroad
Your information will not be transferred outside the United Kingdom.
Who your information may be shared with (internally and externally)?
We may share your information with the following recipients depending on your circumstances:
- Other Council departments
- Other Government agencies such as other Councils, HM Revenues and Customs, Police, National Fraud Initiative, Welsh Audit Office
- Partner organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Age Cymru, Office for National Statistics or any other organisation acting on your behalf
- Collection Agents and County Court
- IT Software Support partners – any access will only be for resolving any technical issues with our systems and any viewing of data will be incidental
There are also other specific situations where we may be required to disclose information about you, such as:
- Where the Council is required to provide the information by law
- Where disclosing the information is required to prevent or detect a crime
- Where disclosure is in the vital interests of the person concerned