Who is the Data Controller for the information I provide?
Wirral Council is the Data Controller for the personal information you provide.
Our address is;
Wirral Council
PO Box 290
Brighton Street
Wallasey
Wirral
CH27 9FQ
Issues of how data is handled are dealt with by Wirral Council's Data Protection Officer Jane Corrin who can be contacted by email at DPO@wirral.gov.uk
Why do you need my information?
We may collect and hold information about Wirral residents in order to assist them in meeting their immediate short-term needs for subsistence or financial support where they are unable to do so, or where they require support to maintain their independence within the community. This information also contributes towards statistical analysis of the team’s achievements. We will also verify benefit awards with the Department for Work and Pensions.
The information you provide will help us to assess your needs.
What legal basis allows you to use my information?
Consent has been given to this data being held for the explicit use of assisting in the administration of awards of financial assistance for welfare needs for people in crisis (temporarily replacing the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme), with the aid of benefit checks.
This information is held for the legitimate interests of those being assisted with the scheme. Personal data will not be disclosed without the consent of the data subject.
Do I have to provide this information and what will happen if I don't?
If we did not collect this information we would be unable to assess an application form and perform benefit checks where necessary, or assist with queries and disputes relating to your case.
Who will my information be shared with?
The information held may be shared with external partners who are providing a service within the awards scheme, in relation to the supply of white goods, furniture and other household and personal items, such as the Furniture Resource Centre. Information may also be shared with the Fuel Bank Foundation (and its third party service providers appointed to administer the Fuel Bank scheme) supporting with the award of utility vouchers.
We may share information with the Housing Priority Panel (HPP) to support vulnerable people to gain independence within the community.
We may disclose information to other partners of the council where it is necessary, either to comply with a legal obligation, or where permitted under the Data Protection Act, e.g. where the disclosure is necessary for the purposes of the prevention and/or detection of crime and/or fraud.
As part of the assessment we may share your details with the Department of Works and Pensions as allowed by law.
If you are requesting financial help with an expense that is to be provided by a third party, we will share your information with them.
Following your application and if you applied to us yourself (that is, not through a referring agency) we may refer your contact details to Citizens Advice Wirral and they will contact you to offer further advice. Citizens Advice Wirral may share with us information about the outcome of any referral. We may refer your contact details to external partners such as Energy Projects Plus, Citizens Advice Wirral, Involve Northwest, NEO Community Ltd., St Vincent de Paul Society (Wirral) or North Birkenhead Development Trust with your consent, for items that are not covered by this scheme and/or to ensure help is available to those who need it.
If we are supporting you with help with shopping, your details will be provided to either Age UK Wirral or Rapid Response North West.
We may share your name and mobile telephone number with the Government Digital Service and its service providers. They deliver the council’s text messaging service. We will notify you of the outcome of your claim by text message and use this provider to do so.
How long will you keep this information for and why?
Personal information will be retained for 6 years based on best practice and to reduce potential fraud.
How will my information be stored?
Information will be held within a secure system.
How we protect your data
We will take appropriate steps to make sure we hold records about you (on paper and electronically) in a secure way, and we will only make them available to those who have a right to see them. Wirral Council takes security measures such as, but not limited to:
Logical Security Control
- encryption
- anonymisation
- partitioning
- paper document security
Physical Security Control
- managing workstations
- website security
- backups
- network security
- physical access control
- monitoring network activity
- hardware security
Organisational Control
- monitoring committee
- policies
- managing Privacy risks
- integrating privacy protection in projects (PIA)
Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?
No, your information will not be used to make automated decisions about you.
Will my data be transferred abroad and why?
No, your details will not be transferred abroad.
What rights do I have when it comes to my data?
Right to be informed – through this Privacy Notice.
Right to rectification – you have the right to have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to erasure – you have the right to have personal data erased and to prevent processing; however, the right to erasure does not apply in some circumstances.
Right to restrict processing – you have the right to block or suppress processing of your data; however, this right does not apply in some circumstances.
Right to data portability – you have the right to obtain and reuse your data for your own purposes (copy or transfer personal data to another environment) in certain circumstances.
Right to object to processing - you have the right to object to certain types of processing only.
Right to withdraw consent - withdrawal of consent would prevent us from making any award, as we would be unable to assess your needs.
Right of Access - you have the right under the Data Protection Act 1998 which includes General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to request a copy of your information and to know what it is used for and how it has been shared. This is called the right of subject access. To request a copy of your data or for information about how it is used, please email informationmanager@wirral.gov.uk
Who can I complain to if I am unhappy about how my data is used?
Informal resolution
In the first instance we would ask that you try and resolve data handling issues directly with the relevant department before applying for a formal resolution.
Formal resolution
If you are dissatisfied with the informal resolution of your complaint you can request a review by the Data Protection Officer, Jane Corrin, by email DPO@wirral.gov.uk
If you remain dissatisfied following an internal complaint, you can lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Changes to our Privacy Notice
We regularly review our privacy notice and suggest you check for any changes from time to time. This notice was reviewed April 2022.