HARC Privacy Statements
Please scroll down for the HARC Staff, Volunteer and Trustee Privacy statement.
- HARC client Privacy statement.
This Privacy Statement sets out how HARC has introduced a range of measures to ensure that the personal information (data) relating to the clients that use HARC’s advice service is protected and what rights clients have been given under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK (GDPR) General Data Protection Regulations.
What Personal Information does HARC Collect and Why?
HARC provides a specialist welfare benefit advice service and needs to collect personal and often sensitive information from people, who ask for advice and assistance, which is relevant to their benefit entitlement. Advice enquiries can be made in person, by letter, by telephone or by email. Personal information is not always recorded. However, for more detailed advice and assistance it will be essential to obtain and make use of the information that is necessary to provide high quality advice but HARC will only seek what is required to deal with the benefit claim or entitlement.
Where does this information come from?
This information will be requested from people who contact HARC for advice and may be held as forms, letters and documents or in electronic form.
In addition client information may be provided by another organisation that is giving the client advice or support or by an agency that is responsible for benefit claims.
How does HARC obtain client consent?
HARC will seek client authorisation to pass whatever client information is necessary to another organisation or agency. This may be a signed form or may be a request made during a telephone conversation.
HARC will refer clients to this Privacy Statement, which is posted on the HARC website www.harcuk.com or can provide a hard copy if requested.
What other organisations does HARC share client information with?
HARC may need to share client information with another general or specialist advice organisation (such as a Citizens Advice Bureau) or with an organisation that is providing support to the client or to an agency that administers benefits (such as the Department for Work and Pensions). This will only be done if it will enable HARC to provide effective advice and assist the client with their benefit query or claim.
In addition, HARC may share client information with an organisation that has been checked and appointed by HARC to carry out a survey of how clients view the advice work they have received or, on very rare occasions, where HARC is required to provide information about a client by law.
How does HARC ensure that client information is kept secure?
Following the UK’s exit from Europe in December 2020, HARC has reviewed how it keeps client information, whether in hard copy or in electronic form, to ensure that it fully meets the UK GDPR requirements.
HARC will only share information with another organisation if HARC is satisfied that the organisation has procedures in place to ensure the client information is kept secure and complies with the UK GDPR.
What are the main rights that clients have over the personal information that HARC has obtained?
Clients can:
- Ask HARC to tell them what personal information about them HARC holds and request copies of this information.
- Ask HARC to correct any information that the client believes is incorrect or needs to be updated.
- Ask HARC to stop using some information or to stop sharing information with another organisation.
More details about these rights are available from the Information Commissioner’s Office and website www.ico.org.uk
What happens to client information after their advice enquiry has been dealt with?
HARC usually keeps a client information file for up to 6 years after the enquiry has been dealt with or the case has been closed. At that point the information is destroyed and/or deleted from the HARC electronic files.
How can queries or complaints about this matter be made?
Contact HARC for more information about client data (information) security and the UK GDPR regulations.
To take up one of the rights mentioned above or to complain about how HARC has handled a matter relating to the client’s personal information that it holds:
Contact the HARC Data Protection Officer by telephone [ tel: 01424 428375 ] by email [ info@harcuk.com ] or by post to HARC at The Advice and Community Hub, Renaissance House, London Road, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 6AN.
HARC will make every effort to deal with this enquiry and resolve any concerns but if the client is still dissatisfied they can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.
If you would like a copy of this document in another format, such as for a visual impairment, or in another language please contact the HARC DPO.
- HARC Staff, Volunteer and Trustee Privacy statement.
This Privacy Statement sets out how HARC has introduced a range of measures to ensure that the personal information (data) relating to staff members, volunteers and applicants for employment or volunteer work is protected and what rights have been given under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK (GDPR) General Data Protection Regulations.
What Personal Information does HARC collect and why?
HARC needs to obtain personal information from job applicants and for all staff members during their employment as a function of its responsibilities for staff management and support.
HARC also needs to obtain some personal information from people who apply to become volunteers and during the time they are in a HARC volunteering role, including working as a HARC Shop volunteer.
This also applies to HARC Board members.
Some of this personal information may be sensitive such as a DBS criminal record check, where required by the post or role, or about a health issue relevant to employment or volunteering.
Where does this information come from?
This information will be requested from applicants for employment or volunteer work on an application form or from another source such as a reference or DBS check and may be held as a completed form, letters and documents or in electronic form.
Other personal information about staff and volunteers may be collected as part of their management, supervision and support.
How does HARC obtain consent?
This will be obtained by ticking a box and signing the application form or letter of appointment and will be inferred to include information collected during the period of employment or volunteering as a function of HARC’s responsibilities to manage, supervise and support its staff and volunteer teams.
HARC will refer to this Privacy Statement, which is posted on the HARC website www.harcuk.com or can be provided as a hard copy if requested.
What other organisations does HARC share staff & volunteer information with?
HARC would not normally share this information with another organisation without a specific request from a staff member or volunteer such as for a job reference.
However, HARC may share very limited staff or volunteer information with an organisation that has been checked and appointed by HARC to carry out a survey of staff or volunteer views and ideas or, on very rare occasions, where HARC is required to provide information about a client by law.
How does HARC ensure that staff & volunteer information is kept secure?
Following the UK’s exit from Europe in December 2020, HARC has reviewed how it keeps client information, whether in hard copy or in electronic form, to ensure that it fully meets the UK GDPR requirements.
Staff and volunteer information is kept secure in electronic and hard copy format and access is restricted to HARC managers and supervisors as appropriate.
What are the main rights that staff, volunteers and applicants have over the personal information that HARC has obtained?
They can:
- Ask HARC to tell them what personal information about them HARC holds and request copies of this information.
- Ask HARC to correct any information that they believe is incorrect or needs to be updated.
- Ask HARC to stop using some information or to stop sharing information with another organisation.
More details about these rights are available from the Information Commissioner’s Office and website www.ico.org.uk
What happens to information from applicants for jobs or volunteer work?
HARC usually keeps this information for 6 months and then destroys and deletes it.
What happens to information after a staff member or volunteer has left HARC?
HARC usually keeps this information file for at least 3 years, subject to legal requirements, for staff and 12 months for volunteers. At that point the information is destroyed and/or deleted from the HARC electronic files.
How can queries or complaints about staff & volunteer information be made?
These matters should initially be taken up with the relevant supervisor or manager.
How can I find more information about HARC’s UK GDPR responsibilities?
Contact the HARC Data Protection Officer (DPO) by telephone [ tel: 01424 428375 ] by e mail [ info@harcuk.com ] or by post to HARC [ at the address above ].
Who do I complain to if I am dissatisfied about how HARC is manages data?
Contact the HARC DPO (as above).
HARC will make every effort to deal with a data protection issue and resolve any concerns but if the individual is still dissatisfied they can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.
If you would like a copy of this document in another format, such as for a visual impairment, or in another language please contact the HARC DPO.
