Privacy notices

Customer Services, Revenues and Benefits Privacy Notice

Who we are

South Derbyshire District Council is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office.

Our address is Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 0AH.

The Council is committed to protecting your privacy when you use our services. This privacy notice tells you what to expect when Customer Services collect personal information. It also explains when and why we collect this information, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others, how we keep it secure and what rights you have in relation to the data we hold about you.

How do we collect information from you?

We collect information from you when you fill in any forms on our website Home | South Derbyshire District Council or associated customer portals, when you contact us in writing, speak to us on the phone or face to face or communicate with us by email or any other type of electronic communication. 

What types of information do we collect from you?

We collect different sorts of information about you, depending on the service you want from us and/or the reason why we need to process information about you. This could be personal information (for example your name and address), or other more sensitive data that we would only collect and use in very particular circumstances that are set out by law.

How is your information used?

Customer Services may use your information to:

Administer, bill, collect and recover or award any discount, relief or exemption where there is an entitlement to help in connection with:

  • Council Tax
  • Business Rates
  • Housing Benefit overpayment
  • Sundry Debtor

Process and accurately pay you money that you are entitled to have from us, such as:

  • Housing Benefit
  • Second adult rebate for pensioners
  • Council Tax Reduction Support
  • Discretionary Payments

Investigate and prosecute Corporate Fraud: This will include sharing and asking for information about you from agencies, Government departments or other public bodies and private sector companies to check information you have provided, or validate information about you that someone else has provided, with other information we hold to prevent or detect fraud or protect public funds.

We will not sell or rent your information to third parties. We will not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Who has access to your information?

We may share your information with:

  • Other Council departments and business partners and our Elected Members
  • Other Councils
  • Government departments, particularly: 
    • HM Revenues and Customs,
    • Department for Work and Pensions
    • Home Office
    • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
    • HM Courts and Tribunals Service
    • HM Prison and Probation Service.
  • Other appropriate third parties, including:
    • Any judicial court, tribunal and body allowed by law, including:
      • the Courts: Magistrates, County, Crown and Family 
      • Tribunals: Valuation, Rent Officer, Upper and Lower
      • Police: National Asylum Support Service and Borders agency
      • National Anti-Fraud network (NAFN) and National Fraud Initiative (NFI).
    • Other agencies and third parties appointed to help us meet our statutory and non- statutory duties to administer work accurately and efficiently; assess any contribution to means-tested payments or grants provided by the Council; contribute to intelligence gathering to assess impacts of changes to identify need; check identity and the information you have given us to make sure we are handling your data correctly, and for other purposes allowed by law; prevent fraud and the misuse of public funds. This will include:
  • software  providers and  IT companies used for technical support
  • contracted service providers
  • social housing landlords (for Housing Benefit claimants in social housing)
  • banks, building societies and similar financial organisations
  • external auditors
  • enforcement agents
  • debt advisors or other agencies supporting you, including your GP or other appointed medical professionals
  • your employer
  • any relevant third parties as required to help prevent fraud.  
    • Relevant individuals such as landlords, agents, appointees and other legal representatives.

Research and Statistics

Anonymised and pseudonymised data may be used for research and statistical purposes. Any data collected may be used for research and statistical purposes relevant and compatible with the purpose that the data was collected for.

What are your rights in relation to personal data we process?

Access: You can request copies of any of your personal information held by the Council.  

Rectification: You can ask us to correct any incorrect information.

Deletion: You can ask us to delete your personal information. The Council can refuse to delete information if we have a lawful reason to keep this.

Portability: You can ask us to transfer your personal data to different services or to you.

Right to object or restrict processing: You have the right to object to how your data is being used and how it is going to be used in the future. 

For further information, please visit the *Data Protection Act 2018* section of our website.

How long will we keep your informaiton for?

We keep and dispose of all records in line with our record retention schedule. Information about this can be found at https://link/retention-schedule/ and will comply with the Data Protection 2018.

What precautions are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?

Your personal data will be stored electronically or in hard copy files as appropriate. The Council uses a variety of different systems to process and store personal data. We are strongly committed to data security and will take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or corruption. We have put in place physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard the information you provide to us. However, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us. We recommend that you take every precaution to protect your personal information.

Keeping your data up to date

We want to ensure any information we hold is accurate. You can help us by promptly informing us of any changes to the information we hold about you.

Under 13s

If you are aged 13 or under, please get your parent/guardian's permission whenever you provide us with personal information.

Where can I get advice and more information?

We want to ensure any information we hold is accurate. You can help us by promptly informing us of any changes to information we hold about you. If you have any worries or questions about how your personal information is handled, please contact our Data Protection Officer by emailing dataprotection@southderbyshire.gov.uk or by telephoning 01283 595795.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate number).

Email: casework@ico.org.uk.

Further guidance on the use of personal information can be found at www.ico.org.uk.