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Benefits service privacy notice

Who is the data controller for the information I provide?

Liverpool City Council is the data controller for the information that you provide. Liverpool City Council’s Benefits Service is committed to protecting your personal information.

Why we collect your data

We need the information in order to provide the following services:

  • Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and Discretionary Housing Payment.
  • Free school meals and school transport.
  • Local welfare provision  - Liverpool Citizens Support Scheme.
  • Financial assessments for service users of residential and non-residential care.
  • Financial assessments for children receiving care.
  • Direct payments for citizens managing their own care provision budgets.
  • Benefits maximisation advice.

It is necessary for the council’s Benefits Service to gather, collect, store and process personal information relating to anybody applying for these services and has measures in place to protect the privacy of individuals throughout this process.  

What is the legal basis for collecting and processing this data?

This information is required by the Service in order to carry out its duties under the following legislation:

  • The Local Government Finance Act.
  • Security Administration Act.
  • The Social Security Regulations (information-sharing in relation to welfare services).
  • The Welfare Reform Act.
  • The Housing Benefit Legislation.
  • The Council Tax Reduction Schemes Regulations.
  • The Care Act.

As indicated the Council has legal obligations and also official public duties to process the personal data.

Information we may collect

We will collect personal information about you, your family and other parties. This information will include:

  • Details about you, such as, your name, address, telephone number, email address, National Insurance number, date of birth.
  • Details about people in your household, income, allowances, savings and investments including those of your partner or any dependents.
  • Other relevant information needed to process your application, such as your landlord details.

We will use this information to process your application for benefit, see if there is any entitlement to free school meals or school transport, or work out how much you have to pay towards your care. We will check some of the information with other sources to ensure the information you have provided is accurate or if there is further benefit or support that could be provided to you.

Do I have to provide this information, and what will happen if I don’t?

If you are not able to provide some or all of the information we may not be able to provide you with the services or benefits that you have requested.

Who will your information be shared with?

We may also share your information with other council departments and external organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions, HMRC, Police, and credit reference agencies to detect and prevent fraud.

How long will you keep this information for?

We will only keep your information for as long as it is required to deliver the services that we provide. Please see What we do with your data for the council's full retention schedule.

How will my information be stored?

Your information will be stored securely on our computer databases. Access to these databases will be restricted to those who are entitled to view and process your data.

Source of the data if we are recipient and hold it for others

We receive information from you but we may also receive and hold information from internal Council departments and external organisations on your behalf. This information helps us to deliver the service to you.

Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me? 

Some of the information we receive in respect of you will be automated and therefore not viewed or processed by any of our officers. This could include information we receive from the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to wages, benefits, capital and pensions.

Will my data be transferred abroad? 

No

What rights do I have when it comes to my data?

You have a number of rights that are set out on the How to access your data page of this section.

Where can I get advice?

View our Help and advice page for more information.

National Fraud Initiative

We participate in the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative (NFI) which is an exercise that matches electronic data within and between public and private sector bodies to prevent and detect fraud.  We are required by law to provide particular sets of data, including personal data, to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching.

The use of data for the NFI exercise is carried out with statutory authority under part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under Data Protection legislation and General Data Protection Regulations 2018.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

You can view information on what data we share and the Cabinet Office's legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information.