West Sussex County Council has a specific privacy notice which is aimed at persons being referred for assistance to prevent homelessness, are homeless and/or destitute where there are children.
This privacy notice explains:
- how personal information is going to be used
- what it is used for
- who it might be shared with and why
- how long it is kept.
The information you provide services as part of our duties, powers and responsibilities as a public authority.
Personal and special category data
The categories of personal data we process and hold include:
- personal information, such as name, date of birth and address
- contact details, including phone numbers and email address
- special category data, including ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, medical, criminal history and disability
- identity documents, including National Insurance number, birth certificate, passport and marriage certificate
- proof if immigration status and right to work
- employment information
- financial data, including income, savings, benefits and bank statements
- address history, including tenure, eviction and homelessness.
Whilst the majority of personal information you provide to us is mandatory, some of it requested on a voluntary basis. We will inform you at the point of collection, whether you are required to provide certain information to us or if you have a choice in this.
Data Controller
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) complies with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is registered as a ‘Data Controller’ with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Reg. No. Z6413427).
You can find details for the WSCC Data Protection Officer (DPO) on our Privacy Policy.
We ensure that your personal data is accurate, processed fairly and lawfully, kept secure and retained for no longer than is necessary.
The legal basis for processing personal data
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.
Children Act 1989
Conditions for special category data
- Processing is necessary for the purposes of the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of law or a contract with a health professional.
- Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
- Processing is necessary for the purposes of social protection law.
If a child or other person is at risk of significant harm, people working with you will have a duty of care to share the information with the relevant services without consent.
How we use your personal information
Our Privacy Policy determines how we use personal data. We use it specifically to:
- provide you with appropriate services including from external agencies
- undertake accurate assessments
- help us develop and improve our services
- complete statistical returns to Government departments
- develop policies
- administer and protect public funds
- keep track of spending on services
- show level of need and trends of service use
- help investigate any worries of complaints you have about services.
Who we share your information with
- Teams within West Sussex County Council working to improve outcomes for children and young people.
- Government departments, including:
- Department for Education
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Home Office
- Department for Levelling up Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
- Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
- Local authority
- Housing and Council Tax Department
- Registered social landlords
- Housing benefit department
- Private landlords
- Letting agents
- Temporary accommodation providers/vendors.
- Legal representatives
- Solicitors
- Shelter
- Brighton housing trust
- Immigration charities and/or services
- Debt charities and/or services.
- Partner organisations signed up to our Information Sharing Agreement, where necessary, which may include:
- Health visitors
- Midwives
- District councils
- Housing providers
- Police
- School nurses
- Doctors
- Mental health workers
- Voluntary organisations.
- Commissioned providers of local authority services, such as:
- Family support services
- Youth services
- Support for young carers
- Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) support
- Health and mental health services
- Education services.
- Childcare settings and schools, including free schools and academies.
- Ofsted (in the event of a local authority inspection of children’s services).
- Law enforcement or other authorities, if required by law.
See our Privacy Policy if you require more information about how we use this data.
How long we keep your personal data
Personal data will not be retained for longer than is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are collected.
The council is currently reviewing and updating its retention policies. See our records management page for published retention schedules.
Your rights
See our Privacy Policy for more information on your rights.
Complaints
See our Privacy Policy for information about making a complaint.