Privacy Policy
At Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent we collect and use your personal information to help solve your problems, improve our services and tackle wider issues in society that affect people’s lives.
This privacy policy explains how we use your information and what your rights are. We handle and store your personal information in line with data protection law and our confidentiality policy. The following pages tell you more about how we use your information in more detail.
Our network
Citizens Advice is a membership organisation made up of the national Citizens Advice charity and many local offices across England and Wales, including Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent. Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent is an independent charity and a member of the national Citizens Advice charity.
All members of the Citizens Advice network are responsible for keeping your personal information safe and making sure data protection law is followed.
National Citizens Advice has a privacy notice available on their website that covers general advice and nationally managed systems, including our case management systems. This policy covers the processing we carry out in our office.
You can find out what information we collect and how we use it by visiting the national Citizens Advice privacy policy page.
Staff from a different local Citizens Advice can only access your personal information in a joint system if they have a good reason. For example when:
- you go to a different office to seek advice
- more than one office is working together in partnership
- they need to investigate a complaint or incident
We have rules and controls in place to stop people accessing or using your information when they shouldn’t.
Tell an adviser if you’re worried about your details being on a national system. We’ll work with you to take extra steps to protect your information – for example by recording your problem without using your name.
How Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent Collects and stores your information
Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent uses Google Workspace as its productivity suite and your personal data may be stored there while your case is active. Our policy is to minimise all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to our national computer system during the course of your case. For more information read Google Cloud & the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
We use SMS message platform Kudosity to send appointment reminders. When using Kudosity our policy is to minimise all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to our national computer system during the course of your case. We always ensure we have your consent before contacting you via Kudosity.
When using the Refernet Referral System our policy is to minimise all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to our national computer system during the course of your case. Refernet store all data in accordance with their Privacy Notice. We always ensure we have your consent before adding any of your personal data to Refernet.
Our video interview system is supported through the SQOD platform. When using the SQOD platform our policy is to minimise all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to our national computer system during the course of your case. SQOD stores your data in accordance with their Privacy Notice. People are asked for consent using SQOD.
When using the WhatsApp platform our policy is to minimise all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to our national computer system during the course of your case. WhatsApp is a third-party service and Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent cannot accept liability for data held by WhatsApp or breaches of that data. Security of data cannot be guaranteed in messages you send to us through WhatsApp and we do not control and are not responsible for the use of your data by this third-party service.
Where we have control over your data, such as deciding how we use the messages you send us to meet your advice needs, we will make sure that we comply with GDPR and keep your data safe. For example, making sure only the right staff and volunteers can see the messages.
What information Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent collects and how we use it
We will only ask for information that is relevant to your problem and to inform our campaigns. Depending on what you want help with, this might include:
- Your name and contact details – so we can keep in touch with you about your case.
- Personal information – for example about family, work, or financial circumstances.
- Details about services you get that are causing you problems – like energy or post.
- Details of items or services you have bought, and traders you have dealt with.
- Special Category Data like your ethnicity, health conditions, trade union membership, religion, or sexual orientation.
- If you do not want to give us certain information, you do not have to. For example, if you want to stay anonymous, we will only record information about your problem and make sure you are not identified.
- You can opt out of us collecting you equality & diversity data and you will discuss this directly with you.
Generally the lawful basis for the processing of your data will be ‘legitimate interest’. for example the purpose for collecting the information is necessary to the provision of advice.
Confidentiality policy
There are a number of projects where we are required to share your personal information with a third party as part of the funding requirements, and falls outside of our Confidentiality policy. We will tell you when this happens and who we share it with.
At times we might use or share your information without your permission. If we do, we’ll always make sure there’s a legal basis for it. This could include situations where we have to use or share your information:
- to comply with the law – for example, if a court orders us to share information. This is called ‘legal obligation’
- to protect someone’s life – for example, sharing information with a paramedic if a client was unwell at our office. This is called ‘vital interests’
- to carry out our legitimate aims and goals as a charity – for example, to create statistics for our national research. This is called ‘legitimate interests’
- for us to carry out a task where we’re meeting the aims of a public body in the public interest – for example, delivering a government or local authority service. This is called ‘public task’
- to carry out a contract we have with you – for example, if you’re an employee we might need to store your bank details so we can pay you. This is called ‘contract’
- to defend our legal rights – for example, sharing information with our legal advisors if there was a complaint that we gave the wrong advice
How long we keep your data for
We usually retain your records for 6 years after your case is closed. There are some exceptions and these are contained within our Retention Policy which is available upon request.
Your data protection rights
You have rights in relation to your personal data that we hold. Your rights include being able to request:
- Access to copies of your data
- Corrections are made to inaccurate data
- Deletion of your personal data
- Object to how we use your personal data
These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every circumstance. For more information about your rights you can visit the ICO website.
To make a data protection rights request you can do so by emailing admin1@cacbg.org.uk
Raising a concern about how we use your information
If you are concerned about how we have handled your personal information please contact us at
1-2 Church Place
Bargoed
CF81 8RP
You can also contact the national charity if you are unhappy with how we have used your personal data or wish to raise a concern about how a local office has handled your personal data. To do so you can email us at DPO@citizensadvice.org.uk
Contacting the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
You can also raise your concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office which regulates data protection law in the UK. if you are unhappy with how we have used your personal information. They will normally expect you to have made a complaint to us directly in the first instance.
- Visit the ICO website.
- Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
- Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
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- https://ico.org.uk/ – Information Commissioner’s Office
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