Who will own my data once I submit it?
Knowsley Council
Why do you need my information?
Strategic Housing will collect your data for the following reasons:-
For the purposes of preventing or relieving homelessness
We will need to collect and share some of your data if you make a homeless presentation to us. Knowsley Housing Solution manage the Council’s Homelessness service. They have a separate privacy notice which can be accessed via this link: Housing solutions privacy notice
For the provision and management of temporary accommodation
For the administration of the Council’s social housing register on Property Pool Plus Property Pool Plus has its own Privacy Notice which can be accessed via this link: Property Pool Plus
For the administration and allocation of Housing Assistance Grants
If you apply to us for a grant we will need to collect your data in order to check your eligibility against the grant terms and conditions and ensure the conditions are maintained.
For the improvement of the private rented sector
If you are a private landlord we may ask for your consent to keep your contact details so that we can send you details that are relevant to your housing management function. For further information on how to withdraw consent please see below.
What Personal Information do we collect?
In order for Knowsley Strategic Housing Service to offer support within Knowsley we may collect all, or some, of the following information from you, examples include:-
- Personal details:
- Name/s
- Date of birth
- Contact details
- Home address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Special Category Data
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Diversity and inclusion data
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
This data above is used for equality purposes.
- Data concerning health:
- Medical records
- Accessibility Requirements etc
This data is used to assess housing need and eligibility for temporary accommodation.
What allows you to use my information?
The legal basis which allow the Council to lawfully process your data fall under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Article 6 (a) Consent
The data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes;
Article 6 (e) Public task
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
Special category personal data is processed in accordance with the following lawful basis:
Article 9 (g) Substantial Public Interest
Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of domestic law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject domestic law;
These legal bases are underpinned by acts of legislation that dictate what actions can and should be taken by local authorities, including:
- Local Government Act 1972,
- Housing Act 1996 (including amendments),
- Homelessness Act 2002 and
- Regulatory Reform Order 2002.
In some cases (where consent is used as a lawful basis) you will be asked to give your consent to the data being processed. You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing: housing@knowsley.gov.uk
Please note that consent is not used without a designated lawful basis to do so. However, if you refuse or withdraw your consent, we may be unable to support you with the task.
Who will my information be shared with?
We may share your personal information with other council services, partner organisations, government departments, registered housing providers, health services, support agencies, contractors and regulatory bodies where there is a lawful basis to do so.
We will also share information where it is necessary to deliver services, assess housing needs, prevent homelessness, safeguard vulnerable individuals, prevent fraud, comply with legal obligations, or protect public funds.
Depending on the exact situation we may share your data with different agencies. The agencies are diverse and the nature of your contact with Strategic Housing will determine which agencies we may share your data with.
- Adult Social Care – examples include to assess support needs, coordinate Extra Care, or support vulnerable adults to live independently.
- Care and Repair Service – examples include to arrange adaptations, repairs or other works to help resident remain safely in their home.
- Children’s Social Care - examples include safeguarding children, access the suitability of accommodation.
- Contractors involved in the delivery of Housing Assistance – examples include processing applications, verify eligibility or administer grants and loans.
- Contractors involved in the delivery of Energy Efficiency Schemes the Council has commissioned or is a partner - examples include to assess eligibility and monitoring scheme outcomes.
- Environmental Health and Consumer Protection – examples include to investigate housing conditions, hazards or disrepair, or enforcement matters.
- Exchequer Services (council tax and housing benefit) – examples include to verify residency, assess eligibility for assistance, prevent fraud, and confirm household circumstances.
- Fire and Rescue Service – examples include supporting fire safety initiatives or reduce fire risk in residential properties.
- Health Services – examples include to assess the impact of health conditions on housing need.
- Housing Solutions Service – examples include to prevent and relive homelessness, provide housing advise and support.
- Knowsley Works – examples include to support residents in accessing employment and skills training.
- Legal Services – examples include to obtain legal advice, defend or pursue legal proceedings or ensure compliance with legislation.
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority – examples include to administer and monitor funding programmes, regeneration initiatives, retrofit schemes, and strategic housing projects.
- Local Solutions – examples include to provide homelessness support, tenancy sustainment services, supported accommodation.
- Office of Gas and Electricity Markets – examples include to administer and verify eligibility for energy efficiency schemes and comply with funding requirements.
- Police – examples include to prevent and detect crime, address antisocial behaviour, safeguard individuals.
- Probation Services – examples include to support offenders with housing needs, tenancy sustainment and risk management arrangements.
- Providers of Supported Accommodation – examples include to assess suitability and arrange placements.
- Registered Providers of Social Housing - examples include to manager housing applications, nominations, allocations, and tenancy sustainment support.
- Safer Communities – examples include to investigate and address antisocial behaviour, hate crimes and domestic abuse.
- You Matter – examples include providing support and helping people access safe and suitable housing and support services.
- The Whitechapel Centre – examples include to support individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including outreach services and access to accommodation.
- Other Council services in order to support any statutory or public task related responsibilities.
Do I have to provide this information and what will happen if I don’t?
If you have approached Strategic Housing, Housing Solutions, Property Pool Plus or one of our commissioned third party services (for example The Whitechapel Centre or You Matter) you will need to provide information in order for your query or application to be progressed.
Some of our functions are statutory – this means we have to do them even without your consent. If you do not provide the information we will still fulfil our statutory duties but we will be unable to offer you additional services.
Should you withdraw your consent we will inform you which statutory duties we have to perform, if we are able to provide you with our full support and service, and/or which services are no longer available to you.
How long will you keep this data for and why?
Property Pool Plus
Your data will be stored for six years after closure of your account. This is explained on the Property Pool Plus Privacy Notice.
Housing Solutions Service
Your data will be stored for a maximum of six years. This is explained on the Knowsley Housing Solutions Privacy Notice.
Housing Assistance Grants
Grants have time conditions attached. Your data will be kept for:-
- six years following the end of the grant conditions or
- six years following the identification of a breach of these conditions or
- until the grant is fully repaid, whichever is the shorter.
A copy our retention periods policy can be obtained upon request.
How will my information be stored?
Property Pool Plus
Your information will be stored on the web based Civica system and held on their secure server. There is limited paperwork but where any paper records do exist these will be held securely in the Knowsley Council offices and will be confidentially destroyed at the end of the retention period.
Housing Solutions Service
Your information will be stored on the web based Civica and Locata systems and held on their secure servers. We will also store some information in Microsoft packages on the secure server. Any paper records are kept securely at the Housing Solutions Service office and will be confidentially destroyed at the end of the retention period.
Temporary Accommodation
Your information will be stored on the Lanlor systems and held on their secure server, and on Knowsley Council’s secure server in Microsoft packages. Paper records will be stored securely in the Temporary Accommodation services Office and will be confidentially destroyed at the end of the retention period.
Local Solutions
Your information will be stored on their individual IT systems held on their secure servers. Paper records will be stored securely in their offices and will be confidentially destroyed at the end of the retention period.
All other services under Strategic Housing will store your data on Knowsley Council’s secure server in Microsoft tenancy. Any paper records are kept securely on Council premises and will be confidentially destroyed at the end of the retention period.
Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?
No
Will my data be transferred abroad and why?
No
What rights do I have when it comes to my data?
Under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018/ UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the following rights with regards to your personal data:
- The right to subject access – you have the right to see a copy of the personal data that the council holds about you and find out what it is used for
- The right to rectification – you have the right to ask the council to correct or remove any inaccurate data that we hold about you
- The right to erasure (right to be forgotten) you have the right to ask the council to remove data that we hold about you
- The right to restriction – you have the right to ask for your information to be restricted (locked down) on council systems
- The right to data portability – you have the right to ask for your data to be transferred back to you or to a new provider at your request
- The right to object – you have the right to ask the council to stop using your personal data or to stop sending you marketing information, or complain about how your data is used
- The right to prevent automated decision making – you have the right to ask the council to stop using your data to make automated decisions about you or to stop profiling your behaviour (where applicable).
To find out more about your rights under the DPA 2018/UK GDPR, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website.
You can request a copy of your data or ask questions about how it is used by visiting our website here.
By email to: Inforights@knowsley.gov.uk
Or in writing to:
Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Westmorland Road
Huyton
L36 6GA
Who can I complain to if I am unhappy about how my data is used?
You can complain directly to the Council’s Data Protection Team by writing to:
Data Protection Officer
Knowsley Council
Westmorland Road
Huyton
L36 6GA
Or email: data.protection.officer@knowsley.gov.uk
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office using the following details:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45
Website: www.ico.org.uk