Benefits privacy notice

Who do you keep information about?

We keep information about residents of Darlington claiming benefits who are liable to pay rent and Council Tax and members of their household.

Why do you keep information about me?

We are allowed to ask for information that enables the Council to administer Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.

Processing is necessary in relation to Housing Benefit for compliance with an obligation under Sections 82 and 86 of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006.

For Council Tax Support it is Section 10 of the Local Government Finance Act 2012, together with the Council’s approved Council Tax Support Scheme.

Who can see my information?

System access is restricted to officers in Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, Housing, and Financial Protection.

We share your information with the Department for Work & Pensions, and Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs

We may share your information with other organisations if we are required, or able, to do so by law.

How do you store the information you keep about me?

We store the information securely on the Council’s network.  We also hold some information in a paper format.

How long do you keep information about me?

The retention period is 7 years from the last action. This information is destroyed securely when we no longer need it.

Is my information used to make an automated decision about me and/or for profiling purposes?

If you claim Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit we may use your information in some calculations which use an automated decision-making process.

You do have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing.

You can ask for any automated decision made about you to be reviewed by an individual.

How did the Council get my personal data?

As well as the information you provide, we may also get information from Department of Work & Pensions, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Landlords and Letting Agents, Tell Us Once.

In cases where your personal data was obtained from a source other than yourself or your representative, we will inform you of the origin of the information within 1 month, unless that information is being used to contact you, in which case, that information should be provided to you at the latest, upon first communication with you.

However, we are not required to provide that information in cases where you already possess it, where recording or disclosure is expressly laid down in law or where provision of the information proves impossible or would involve disproportionate effort.  

What sort of information do you keep?

We may use the following information about you to make sure that we provide you with the right service, advice or support.

We will only use the minimum amount of information necessary to do so and will take every reasonable step to ensure the information is accurate. 

Personal data

• Name
• Identification number
• Location data
• One or more factors specific to the:-
  • mental identity of that natural person
  • economic identity of that natural person.

Special categories of personal data

Data concerning health