Revenues and benefits privacy data

On 28 September 2020, the government passed into law a national Test and Trace Support scheme. From 12 October, a one-off payment of £500 or access to a discretionary fund will be available for eligible individuals. 

More information about this scheme is available on GOV.UK.

If you apply, we will need to process your personal data to assess whether you are eligible to receive financial support, and if so, to provide a payment to you. This privacy notice sets out what personal data we will use, how we will use it, and why we need to, when an applicant applies for this support.

Data controller

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has commissioned NHS Test and Trace on behalf of the government and is the controller for the purposes of providing Test and Trace data to Cheltenham Borough Council.

Cheltenham Borough Council are the controller for the purposes of assessing eligibility, administering and making payments under the Test and Trace Support scheme.

New package to support self-isolation

If you have been told by the NHS to self-isolate, either because you have tested positive for Covid-19 or you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, you may be entitled to some financial support during your self-isolation period.

What are self-isolation payments?

People who are eligible will receive a statutory one-off Test and Trace Support payment or may be eligible for provision from the discretionary fund to remain at home to help stop the spread of the virus.

Categories of personal data we collect and process

We collect and process the personal data that you provide to us when completing your application for a self-isolation support payment, which may include:

• Full name
• Full residential address
• Email address
• Mobile telephone number
• Home telephone number
• Proxy applicant details (as above where you may nominate someone else to complete this application on your behalf)
• Employer name and address
• NHS notification number (the unique reference you will be given by NHS Test and Trace Service to self-isolate)
• Bank account details
• Your National Insurance Number
• Proof of self-employment such as a recent business bank statement (within the last two months), most recent set of accounts or evidence of self-assessment
• Test and Trace notification to self-isolate for any children who are self-isolating if you are making an application because you cannot work because you need to care for them
• Name, address, date of birth and confirmation of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for any person who has additional support needs and is self-isolating if you are making an application because you cannot work because you need to care for them
• Test and Trace notification to self-isolate for any children who are self-isolating if you are making an application because you cannot work because you need to care for them
• Details of an educational or childcare setting attended by your children or any person with additional support needs if you are making an application because you cannot work because you need to care for them

Source and categories of personal data

We will obtain data from the NHS Test and Trace Service to confirm that you have either tested positive for Covid-19 or you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.  As this data is related to your health it is referred to as ‘special category data’.

You or your nominated representative will also provide us with additional personal data in relation to your application for a self-isolation payment.

What we use your personal data for

We will carry out checks with the NHS Test and Trace Service and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for verification purposes, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), for tax and National Insurance purposes, and potentially with your employer in validating your application. 

Information relating to your application will also be sent to the DHSC to help understand public health implications, allow us to carry out anti-fraud checks and determine how well the scheme is performing.

We will not share this data with other organisations or individuals outside of Cheltenham Borough Council for any other purpose.

We will provide information to HMRC in relation to any payments we make because self-isolation payments are subject to tax and National Insurance contributions. If you are self-employed, you will need to declare the payment on your self-assessment tax return.

Fraud prevention and detection

Cheltenham Borough Council is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. We may share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing, administering public funds, or where carrying out a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.