Service Specific Privacy Notices

Disabled Facilities Grant - Private Sector Housing

East Northamptonshire Council is committed to protecting your privacy when you use our services. This Privacy Notice explains how we use information about you in relation to Disabled Facilities Grants and how we protect your privacy.

The organisation collects and processes personal data relating to our customers. The organisation is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.

Your personal information - what we need and why

East Northamptonshire Council (Data Controller) and Kettering Borough Council (Data Processor) have commenced a shared service arrangement for providing the Disabled Facility Grant service. We collect personal information to process your Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Application.The information we collect will be available to use across both areas to enable an effective service to be delivered.   

It is necessary to hold this information to allow us to deliver the services you request, monitor service provision and improve where we need to and provide any other necessary services to you.

We will assess the information you provide, together with additional information we gather to determine whether you are eligible for a DFG.  The categories of information we collect are:

• Name(s)
• Address
• Contact details (email/telephone number(s))
• National Insurance Number
• Date(s) of Birth
• Household details
• Medical information*
• Proof of occupancy or ownership
• Financial information including savings; investments; income; benefit payments
• Planning Information/permissions
• Other information supplied in the course of the application

*The organisation is clear that this bullet point relates/may relate to classes of special category data (formerly known as sensitive personal data).

We will not collect any personal data from you that we do not need.

What is the basis for us to process your data?

The processing of your information is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party, or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract.  Processing of your special category data is carried out with your explicit consent.

The Council carries out the assessment and administration of Disabled Facilities Grants as a Public Task carried out in the Public Interest.  Special categories of data such as health data; ethnic origin or nationality are required to complete your application under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended).  If you do not provide the requested information, the Council will be unable to process your application.

How we keep your information safe

East Northamptonshire Council (ENC) and Kettering Borough Council (KBC) take your data security seriously. The information you provide will be held securely as part of your case records in our environmental services management system, access is only provided to authorised staff. We ensure they are appropriate systems in place to keep your data safe and secure and processing is in line with our shared service agreement.

Who we will share your information with

The information you provide may be shared with:

• The relevant staff within ENC and KBC to process your application
• Housing Benefits/Council Tax
• Planning Services Housing Strategy team
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Your chosen agent/surveyor and/or contractor/sub contractors
• Social Services/Occupational Therapy
• Your landlord

We will only share information with other organisations where it is necessary, either to comply with a legal obligation, or where permitted under Data Protection legislation, for example there is a public interest to do so such as the prevention and / or detection of crime. This could include the need to disclose sensitive or confidential information such as medical details to other organisations.

We may share information that is given to us with other organisations that inspect or handle public funds to prevent and detect fraud including:

• Department for Works and Pensions
• HM Revenues and Customs
• National Audit Office
• Cabinet Office
• The Police
• Registered Social Landlords
• Other Local Authorities

Other ways we may use your details

We may also use your information to contact third parties to verify information you have provided, or gather further information to complete the assessment of your application.

How long do we keep your records?

The council takes your data security seriously.  The information you provide will be held securely as part of service area database. We will only keep your information for the minimum period necessary. The information outlined in this privacy statement will be retained for 10 years after the final payment has been made.

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for the remainder of the year in which it was made plus 1 year (maximum of 2 years).

All information will be held securely and will be securely destroyed when it is no longer required.

For further information:

For further information about how East Northamptonshire Council uses your personal data, including your rights as a data subject, please see our Privacy Policy on the website.  If you are unhappy with the use of your personal data or for further information please contact the council's Data Protection Officer