Council tax support privacy statement

Why we collect information about you

We collect information to assess your claim for council tax support. We also use it to check your ongoing entitlement. We may also use your contact details in the event that we need to contact you in relation to your claim.

We use the information in order to administer our council tax support scheme under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and subsequent legislation. The information may also be used to make you liable (if appropriate) for council tax at your address and to consider a single person discount and other exemptions.

The information you provide will be used by Cheltenham Borough Council, as the data controller under the General Data Protection Regulations and UK Data Protection Legislation, to process your council tax support claim

What information do we collect about you?

We collect information about:

  • you and your partner (name, address, contact details, NI number, date of birth, income and capital details)
  • your/your partner’s eligibility to remain and/or work in the UK
  • your children (date of birth)
  • any other members of your household (date of birth and income / capital details)
  • your rent

Who do we share this information with?

  • Police - From time to time we get requests from the police to for information that will assist them in investigating and preventing crime. We can share your information with the police if the law allows us to.
  • Internal council departments who require access to your information for the purpose of administration, regulation and law enforcement.From time to time we may share your information with other council departments if the law allows us to do so.
  • The council has a legal duty to submit information to the government as part of the National Fraud Initiative (NFI).You can read about the type of information we have to disclose to the NFI on their website
  • Corporate Fraud Unit
  • We may also share your data with other agencies or organisations where the law allows us to do so and for the prevention and detection of fraud and/or crime. This includes:
    • Other departments within the council
    • Other local authorities
    • Police
    • Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service
    • Department for Work and Pensions
    • Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
    • The Valuation Office

Is there any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA?

No.

How long do we keep your information?

Your data will be held for as long as your claim is open. Once your claim has been closed your data will be held for six years plus the current year.

Who do we collect information from?

  • you
  • The Department for Work and Pensions – to check your entitlement to any state benefits
  • Your employer – if you give us authorisation to obtain details of your / your partner’s wages from them
  • HMRC – details of your /your partner’s earnings
  • Electoral Registration
  • Credit Reference Agencies
  • Other Local Authorities

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

The council will be unable to fulfil its statutory obligations to assess your entitlement to council tax support and as a consequence there may be a financial impact on you.

Are any decisions about you made by automatic means?

No.