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Privacy
Privacy notice for revenues and benefits
Revenues and benefits
Identity and contact details of the data controller
Epping Forest District Council is a data controller pursuant to the general data protection regulation (GDPR). This means that the council decides how your personal data is processed and for what purposes. The contact details for the council’s data protection officer are:
Data Protection Officer
Epping Forest District Council
Civic Offices
323 High Street
Epping CM16 4BZ
- Call 01992 564000
- Email dataprotectionofficer@eppingforestdc.gov.uk
Why we collect this information and how will it be used
We collect and hold information about you, and those in your household, to administer Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payment, Former Tenant Arrears and Sundry Debts, to enable the assessment of your liability and entitlement; including discounts and/or exemptions; the collection and enforcement of outstanding debts such as unpaid Council Tax, Housing Benefit overpayments, Former Tenant arrears and other debts.
In order to carry out statutory duties and obligations it may be necessary, depending on the service area, for us to collect personal information from you which may include your name, address, contact details and other supporting personal information, such as; employment details, proof of earnings, confirmation of address, rent liability details, national insurance number, bank details, etc. (the list is not intended to be exhaustive).
The legal basis for processing your personal data
The basis for processing the data is to fulfil our legal obligation under the following legislation:
- Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992
- Local Government Finance Act 1992
- Welfare Reform Act 2012
- Localism Act 2011
- Social Security Contribution & Benefits Act 1992
- Housing Benefit Regulations 2006
- Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006
- Council Tax Support Reduction Scheme
- The prevention and detection of crime, including false representation in accordance with the Fraud Act
- Discretionary Housing Payment Scheme (Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations 2001)
How we use the information we hold about you
We will collect information about you for:
- The administration and collection of Council Tax / Business Rates
- The assessment of your entitlement to Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing
Payment and Council Tax Support - Administration and collection of outstanding funds owed to the Council
- Where the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations, for example; the
prevention or detection of crime including fraud - The protection of public funds
Who we share your personal data with
We will 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 where sharing is necessary for us to carry out the Council Tax function or if 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
- Office of National Statistics
- The Cabinet Office
- The Police
- Other Council Services and Local Authorities
- HM Courts and Tribunal Service
- The Valuation Office Agency
- Insolvency Service
- Enforcement Agents acting on behalf of the authority
- Locta
- Pan Essex
- Datatank Ltd
- Gov Notify
The Cabinet Office is responsible for the National Fraud Initiative which carries out data matching exercises. Matching is also carried out with other Essex Local Authorities under Pan Essex, as part of an anti-fraud initiative, data is sent to Locta which allows Local Authorities to trace forwarding addresses on debtors who have moved out of the district, and data is also sent to Datatank Ltd who are a service provider for Epping Forest District Council and carry out a council tax discount & empty review. Data matching is comparing computer records held by one organisation with other computer records held by the same organisation or a different one. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows us to identify applications, claims and payments that may be fraudulent. A match means that there is an inconsistency between the sets of records that need investigating.
We may also share your information with other organisations that carry out work for the Council, for example to print documentation such as bills, invoices or notification letters. Where this occurs, the Council will have entered into a Data/Information Sharing Agreement with that organisation, to safeguard your data.
Other ways we may use your details
We may also use your customer details within the Council for:
- Keeping the Register of Electors up to date
- Licensing private taxis and private rented properties
- Collecting debts owed to the Council
- To carry out compliance checks and validations for Council services
- Other services areas within the Council where the law allows or requires it, or to improve the services you receive
This means we may share your information with enforcement agents and/or debt management organisations engaged by us and the Her Majesty’s Courts Service in relation to outstanding money owed. It may also be necessary to share your information with credit reference agencies to help prevent and detect fraud and to confirm who is resident at an address.
The Council may utilise the services of credit agencies, such as CallCredit, Experian, for validation and tracing purposes and to help determine the best course of recovery action.
How long we keep your personal data
We will only keep your information for the minimum period necessary. The information outlined in this privacy statement will be kept after all action on your account has finished and the period required by the Council for legal or audit purposes has passed. Information will be held securely and will be securely destroyed when it is no longer required.
Your rights
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have various rights as an individual that you can exercise in relation to the information that the council holds about you. Information about these rights is available in our data protection policy.
How to make a complaint
If you are unhappy with the way in which your personal data is processed by Epping Forest District Council you should contact the Data Protection Officer in the first instance:
If you remain dissatisfied with the council’s processing of your personal data, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
- Helpline number 0303 123 1113
- ICO website
Page updated on 30 April 2024.