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Council Tax Reduction Privacy Notice

Privacy notice relating to the processing of personal data by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council for the purpose of Council Tax Reduction.

Introduction

This privacy notice is intended to provide information about how Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (referred to as ‘RCTCBC’, ‘Council’, ‘Local Authority’, ‘we’) will use (or ‘process’) personal data about individuals for the purpose of Council Tax Reduction.

This notice should be read in conjunction with;

  • The Council’s corporate privacy notice

The Data Controller

The Council is the data controller for the personal data processed for the purposes of Council Tax Reduction.

The Council is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a controller under reference Z4870100.

Queries relating to this privacy notice

If you have any questions or queries relating to this privacy notice please contact Revenues and Benefits.

By email : revenues@rctcbc.gov.uk

By telephone : 01443 425002

In writing : Financial Services Division, Ty Oldway, Porth CF39 9ST

Who we are what we do

As a Council, we administer a Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme to help people who are on low income with their council tax. CTR can pay for part or all of someone’s council tax depending on how much income they receive and their individual circumstances.

We hold certain information about you, which we use to administer the CTR scheme. This includes the need to process your information to contact you, to make CTR payments to you and recover any overpaid CTR from you. Further information about how we use your personal data is provided below.

Whose personal data we process

We may process personal data relating to the following individuals to Administer the CTR scheme:

  • Past and present residents who have made applications for Council Tax Reduction to the Council.

The categories of personal data we process

We may process the following categories of personal data to administer the CTR scheme:

  • Contact details, including name, address, telephone numbers and email address.
  • Household and Income details.
  • Employer and salary details
  • National Insurance Number and Date of Birth
  • Income details of Non-dependants listed on joint CTR / HB claims E.G. Employed Adult living with you.

Why we process the personal data

We process the personal data to administer the CTR scheme. This may include but is not limited to the following activities;

  • Assess your application
  • Verify the information you have provided on your application
  • Notify Council Tax of the reduction so that it can be applied to your council tax account.
  • Review your entitlement when appropriate
  • Send you correspondence

Our lawful basis for processing the personal data

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), our lawful basis for processing the personal data to aminister the CTR scheme is;

  • Legal Obligation (c) – processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject. 

The primary legislation, regulations and guidance that supports this includes, but is not limited to;

  • Local Government Finance Act 1992

In some circumstances, we will be required to process information regarding an individual’s health.  This is classified as special category data and will be processed as part of our legal obligation under the following legislation:

  • Disabled Persons Relief (statutory authority - The Council Tax (Reductions for Disabilities) Regulations 1992)
  • Exemption/Disregard for severely mentally impaired (statutory authority - The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992; The Council Tax   (Discount Disregards) Order 1992)
  • Exemption/Disregard for residents of care & nursing homes (statutory authority - The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992; The Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992)
  • Exemption/Disregard for care providers (statutory authority - The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992; The Council Tax (Discount   Disregards) Order 1992) 

Who or where we get the personal data from

We may receive the personal data from the following categories of individuals or organisations;

  • Information provided directly by you for example on making your application 
  • Information generated but us for example when we process your application
  • Information from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to verify your income for example  

Who we share personal data with

We may share the personal data with the following key organisations to administer CTR scheme.

When sharing the personal data, we only share the minimum amount necessary in relation to the purpose.

Who

Purpose

Council Tax

To administer the CTR scheme.

Her Majesties Court and Tribunal Services

for purposes of dealing with appeals.

The Cabinet Office

for the purposes of the National Fraud Initiative.

Data Processors

A data processor is a company or organisation that processes personal data on our behalf. Our data processors act only upon our instruction. They cannot do anything with the personal data unless we instruct them to do so. They will not share the personal data with any organisation apart from us or use it for their own purposes. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.

The categories of data processors we use for the purpose of administering the CTR scheme are;

-       Printing companies – (currently MPS Ltd) to print, pack and post council tax documents.

-       Software provider – (currently Capita Software Services Ltd) to maintain our council tax systems.

-       Data analysis – (currently Datatank Ltd) – for purposes of reviewing entitlement to discounts and reliefs

How long we retain the personal data

We retain the personal data contained with the Council Tax Reduction scheme records for:

Length of time

Reason

7 Years from application.

For CTR administration purposes and to deal with any questions or complaints that we may receive about this.

In keeping with the General Data Protection Regulation storage limitation principle, records are periodically reviewed. Not all personal data is retained. Only personal data that is relevant to the record is retained for the entire retention period.  Information that has no long term or evidential value is routinely destroyed in the normal course of business. 

Your data protection rights

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives individuals important rights, including the right of access to the personal data that the Council holds about you.

Click here for further information on your information rights and how to exercise them. 

Your right to make a data protection complaint to the Council

You have the right to complain to the Council if you believe we have not handled your personal data responsibly and in line with good practice.

You can do this by contacting the Revenues and Benefits department directly via one of the following communication methods. Most concerns can be resolved relatively quickly through a simple phone call or email;

  • Email : revenues@rctcbc.gov.uk
  • Telephone : 01443 425002
  • In writing : Financial Services Division, Ty Oldway, Porth CF39 9ST

Alternatively, you can raise a formal complaint via the Council’s Customer Feedback Scheme using the following link (Make a comment, compliment or complaint online) or you can contact the Council’s Data Protection Officer at Information.management@rctcbc.gov.uk.

Your right to make a data protection complaint to the ICO

You also have the right to complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data. However, we encourage you to contact us first and provide us with an opportunity to look into your concern and put things right.

The ICO can be contacted:           

  • Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
  • Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
  • Website: https://www.ico.org.uk