Westmorland and Furness Council privacy notice Benefits

The Benefits service administers Housing Benefit, Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments and Local Council Tax Reduction claims and entitlement. This includes appeals and the recovery of Housing Benefit over-payments.

What information we collect

We need some personal data from you. This includes:

  • name
  • address
  • email address
  • telephone number
  • identification details, such as your National Insurance number, passport details, driving licence, birth certificate, marriage certificate and utility bills
  • family composition including details and income of non-dependants
  • financial information including income, capital and expenditure
  • employer details 
  • rental agreements
  • immigration status based on benefit entitlement within the UK

We need some special category data from you. This includes:

  • health conditions or disabilities
  • finance details, such as bank details, income and expenditure, credit or debit card details for processing payments only
  • ethnicity and nationality

We need some criminal and law enforcement data such as your criminal history and offences.

How we collect your data 

We’ll collect data from you:

  • online
  • over the phone
  • by email or in writing via letters, application forms and supporting evidence from you
  • by email or in writing from landlords, letting agents and other organisations
  • in person by a member of our staff or one of our partners
  • from council inspectors and other departments such as housing
  • through requests for information from other local authorities and public bodies
  • through searches of the internet and social media services
  • through searches of land registry records

Why we collect your data

We collect your data so we can:

  • administer Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and CRF Housing Payments
  • work out Council Tax liability, discounts and exemptions
  • collect debts owed to us
  • correct the electoral roll
  • check when a child is missing in education
  • meet our obligations under housing legislation, such as licensing private rented properties
  • monitor performance, prepare statistics, research and improve services
  • test and develop the Revenues and Benefits system
  • consult on the administration of Council Tax and Benefits under Schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • visit customers safely in their own homes or in a council building
  • communicate and provide services appropriate to your needs, such as free school meal applications, utility discounts and local welfare assistance
  • protect public funds in the detection and prevention of fraud 

We'll combine information held about you with data on other council systems to create a ‘single view’ of you and your family. We do this to:  

  • inform staff of your current benefits and what you're entitled to
  • maximise income initiatives and support
  • compare debt levels and allow prioritisation
  • support residents in paying priority bills
  • support residents before they reach crisis point

Who we collect data from 

We may receive personal, special category personal or criminal and law enforcement data about you from the third parties mentioned above and other public bodies and organisations. In this case, we will tell you the source of the information unless we are unable to do so by law.

Who we share your personal data with

We may share your data with:

  • internal and external auditors
  • Cabinet Office for the National Fraud Initiative 
  • courts and prisons 
  • credit reference agencies
  • data processors
  • enforcement agents and tracing agencies
  • elected members and members of parliament, if you have made a complaint to them
  • housing associations, landlords and managing agents
  • law enforcement and prosecuting authorities
  • legal representatives, insolvency practitioners and His Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service
  • local and central government departments including Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
  • Local Government Ombudsman or Information Commissioner
  • other council departments, such as enforcement teams and housing
  • partner agencies, approved organisations and individuals working with the police
  • police forces for the prevention and detection of crime
  • printing and mailing suppliers contracted to the Council, to issue notifications and recovery documentation
  • professional advisers and consultants
  • professional bodies
  • regulatory bodies
  • your representatives or advice agencies
  • software providers who provide necessary upgrades or host information on our behalf
  • staff
  • third parties

We process personal data by selecting at least one legal basis from:

  • UKGDPR Article 6(1) (c) Legal Obligation
  • UKGDPR Article 6(1) (e) Public Task/Public Interest/Official Authority

Where we rely on UKGDPR Article 6(1)(c), all relevant legislation is listed below.

We process special category personal data under the condition of UKGDPR Article 9(2) (g) Substantial public interest.

We process criminal and law enforcement data by selecting at least one legal basis from:

  • UKGDPR Schedule 8(1) Statutory Purposes
  • UKGDPR Schedule 8(8) Preventing Fraud

Relevant legislation

The relevant legislation includes:

  • The Social Security Administration Act 1992
  • The Social Security Contributions Act
  • The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006
  • The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2012
  • Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000
  • Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations 2001
  • The Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • The Fraud Act 2006
  • The Localism Act 2011
  • The Equality Act 2010
  • The Welfare Reform Act 2012
  • The Digital Economy Act 2017