The Consumer Advice Centre
Privacy Notice
The Consumer Advice Centre
1. Privacy Policy
We take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect and how we use it. We encourage you to read this policy thoroughly.
2. Who is The Consumer Advice Centre and how can you contact us?
To promote financial inclusion by the provision of a person-centred service, committed to financial equality for all, by supporting individuals and communities to develop solutions that overcome barriers to employment, health, and quality of life.
Email: info@theconsumer.co.uk
Website: www.theconsumer.co.uk
3. What information we collect?
We will need to ask you for certain personal information when you chose to use our services. This information will include: full name, residential address, assets, date of birth, landline phone number, mobile phone number, email address, NI Number.
We will collect a range of information from you to
- Process your claim for benefit/tax credits etc
- To support your debt management case
- Contact statutory bodies, health boards, creditors, landlords or other voluntary sector agencies.
The type of information we collect will include.
- Personal details
- Names (of you your partner and any other adults or children who might live with you.)
- Address(s)
- Dates of Birth (of you your partner and any other adults or children who might live with you.)
- National Insurance Number
- Type of Income (Benefits/Wages) and amounts of that income.
- Information of illness or disability (of you your partner and any other adults or children who might live with you.)
- Household status (Renting or owning a home)
Equalities Data
- Religion
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Relationship and family Status
- Ethnicity
4. How we use your information?
This information is collected for two distinct purposes
To allow us to provide for you and at your request assistance to maximise your income through the benefits and tax credit system or through grant awarding trusts. We use this information to assist with any issues regarding debt problems including repayment plans, Debt Arrangement Scheme, Sequestrations/ Bankruptcies, Token Offers and Write offs.
(These interactions with appropriate bodies can only take place if you have provided us with a written consent to do so or if you are present at the time of contact).
Your personal data will be anonymised and aggregating for the purposes of providing funding
bodies in the public sector with social policy information. You as an individual cannot be
identified through this process
5. What are the legal grounds for handling personal information?
Data protection laws require that, where we collect personal information, we must satisfy at least one of the given conditions for processing. These are set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The Consumer Advice Centre will process data under Articles 5 and 6 of legitimate interest.
The legitimate interests of a controller, including those of a controller to which the personal data may be disclosed, or of a third party, may provide a legal basis for processing, provided that the interests or the fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject are not overriding, taking into consideration the reasonable expectations of data subjects based on their relationship with the controller.
6. Who we share your personal information with?
We share your personal information only with those who need to handle it, so we can provide a seamless service for you. We are also required to retain your information confidentially.
All personal information regarding you and your service will be held on a service database called Advice Pro. Advice is owned and operated by Advice UK and ACM Solutions. This is a cloud-based application to allow our staff to access information regarding you and the support we are providing you with in any location.
We will share your information with only third parties that are appropriate in the furtherance of the issues you have instructed us to deal with. If for example you ask for assistance with a housing benefit claim, we will need to share your information with the local authority who administer the payments of housing benefits
7. How long do we hold your personal information?
18 Months after your case has been closed unless overridden by the controller’s legitimate interests
8. Your rights to how we use your personal information
It is important that you understand your rights in relation to your personal information and how you can contact us if you have questions or concerns. You can ask that we correct any mistakes, restrict, stop processing or delete your information. However, in some cases, we will not always be required to do so. If that is the case, we will explain why. You remain, as outlined in our user agreement, under an obligation to keep us updated on any changes to your personal information, this enables us to update our records and the records of any third parties with your information as well. You can ask for access to the personal information we hold about you and we will provide this free of charge in an electronic format.
9. The Information Commissioner’s Office
We will try to ensure that we deliver the best levels of customer service but if you think we are falling short of that commitment, please let us know by contacting us. If you’re still unhappy with any aspect of how we handle your personal information you also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office. This is the body that regulates the handling of personal information in the UK. You can contact them by:
Address: ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Website: http://ico.org.uk/
10. Changes to the policy
We can update this Privacy Policy at any time and ideally you should check it regularly for updates. We won’t alert you to every little change, but if there are any really important changes to the policy or how we use your information, we’ll let you know.
2.1 Our Website is made available to you free of charge, unless you are an Organisation who agrees to pay for Services under a separate legally binding contract with us.
2.2 You can delete your Account and stop using the Website at any time by emailing us at info@theconsumer.co.uk and by ceasing to use the Website.
2.3 We opertate the Website which has been established to facilitate Introductions, as well as providing assistance, information, support and guidance.
2.4 You can use the Website as a Visitor which will only enable you to browse the Website.
2.5 We do not guarantee that our Website, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted. Your right to access our Website is given on a temporary basis only.
2.6 We may suspend or withdraw or restrict the availability of all or any part of the Website, including without limitation by adding or removing content or functionality, for business and operational reasons at any time. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any suspension or withdrawal.
2.7 You are responsible for ensuring that all persons who access the Website through your internet connection are aware of these Terms of Use and other applicable terms, and that they comply with them.
2.8 The Website is directed to people residing in the United Kingdom. We do not represent that service or content available on or through our Website is appropriate for use or will be available in other locations.
2.9 IMPORTANT: theconsumer does not guarantee the identities of the Organisations and/or Volunteers on its Website and Volunteers and Organisations should therefore take appropriate steps to ensure that they are comfortable dealing with the party they are being introduced to.
3.0 Use of images on our web site
Check for Orphan Works: If we can’t find the owner, we can apply for an orphan work license through the IPO (Intellectual Property Office).
We try and take our Own Photos or use AI: Best way to avoid issues.
We try to Get Permission: Contact the owner (photographer, agency) directly.
Buy a License: Purchase rights from stock photo sites or agencies.
Use Creative Commons (CC): Use filters on image search engines (like Google Images’ “Usage Rights”) for CC-licensed photos, but always check the original source for specific terms (e.g., attribution, non-commercial use).
We will remove any images that are called in to question.
