Privacy notices

Our corporate privacy notice on how we handle and share your personal information, including privacy notices for specific services.

Contents

Homes for Ukraine Scheme Privacy Notice

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal data in relation to the UK Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Who we are, what we do

We know that many people across Woking Borough will want to help and show support for the people of Ukraine. There are lots of organisations who are helping in the humanitarian crisis and appeal.

The council is committed to take Ukrainian people through the UK Government's Homes for Ukraine scheme.

This scheme will support Ukrainian people with accommodation, Education, Health and integration into the community, as well as supporting the people who volunteer to sponsor Ukrainian people and their families.

It must be noted that during this time Councils have to quickly change the way in which they are working to continue to provide you with the support and services you need.  We will always follow advice and guidance from the UK Government when making any changes to the way we provide you with the support you need.

What and whose personal information do we hold?

If you are Ukrainian or a person/family sponsoring a Ukrainian person , the type of information the council holds and processes about you will typically include, but is not limited to:

Ukrainian people

  • Name
  • Address
  • Contact details including telephone number, email address,
  • Date of birth
  • Visa / Passport Information
  • Family member information, including any children
  • Disability/medical/health information
  • Ethnicity / race
  • Information relating to any safeguarding concerns
  • The name of a school any children will be attending
  • Religion
  • Photographic images
  • Pre-paid card number
  • Name
  • Address
  • Details of family members that live at the property, to include ages
  • Contact details including; telephone number, email address
  • Information relating to any safeguarding, security checks and home assessments required for your suitability to provide support
  • Bank details to process the monthly thank you payment
  • Criminal allegations, convictions or offences

We will also be holding information regarding the condition of sponsors' homes.

This information is required to ensure that provision is put in place and people are supported appropriately.

Criminal offence data will be processed under the 28 conditions of Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 which are available for the processing of criminal offence data as set out in paragraphs 1 to 37. This information is processed as part of suitability checks.

How we get the personal information and why we have it?

We will receive, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), details of Woking residents who have applied to become a sponsor through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and where already matched details of the guests.

The data received will be used to conduct suitability checks and for the administration of payments associated with the scheme.
The council will undertake the following checks:

  • pre-arrival and post-arrival checks
  • accommodation checks
  • address validation checks
  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • any other checks required by to assess your suitability as a host

In addition to the checks above the council will also:

  • provide support to Ukrainian guests and hosts (for example safeguarding, assistance in accessing public services, assistance in accessing education, employment and training and community integration) and
  • administer funds associated with the scheme (for example sponsor and guest financial payments).

We receive information directly, or indirectly, from the following sources:

  • you as an individual by
    • our online form
    • email
    • telephone
    • in person
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Disclosure and Barring Service
  • Public Protection Partnership
  • UK Border Agency
     

How the law allows us to use your personal information

Lawful basis for processing

The lawful basis we rely on for processing the information is Article 6 of the UK GDPR:

  • (a) your consent
  • (c) we have a legal obligation
  • (e) we need it to perform a public task

Special category data 

Special category data is being processed under Article 9 UK GDPR:

  • (a) your consent
  • (g) processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest
  • (h) processing is necessary for provision of health or social care treatment

Where we use consent to process your personal data, we will explain to you what we are asking you to agree to and why.
If we have consent to use your personal data, you have the right to remove it at any time.
If you want to remove your consent, please contact dataprotectionofficer@woking.gov.uk and we will deal with your request.
If you remove your consent, we are unlikely to be able to provide continued services to you.

The public tasks we carry out, and the legal obligations we are subject to, are found in the:

Who we share your information with

Information held by the council may be shared with the following organisations:

  • Internal council services such as:
    • Housing
    • Finance
    • Communities
  • Adult social care and children's social care
  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS checks)
  • Welfare and housing
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Home Office
  • Police
  • Public Protection Partnership
  • Other hosts where consent is provided
  • Charities, where consent is provided
  • Local voluntary organisations and faith groups
  • Other organisations as necessary to provide the services outlined as part of the scheme

We share the information in order to provide the services outlined above as part of the scheme for:

  • safeguarding purposes including accommodation checks and doorstep visits
  • welfare support including the provision of initial essentials to the guest
  • host support network
  • general administration including support payments

How we store your personal information

Your information is stored at the point of initial application on the government Palantir Foundry portal. It is securely stored by Woking Borough Council on:

  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Case management systems as required
  • Revenues, benefits and finance systems

For information transferred from central government, the retention period will be up to 2 years after closure of the scheme, as per Memorandum of Understanding (published by DLUHC).
For personal data held by the council for its own functions, the retention period will be as set out in our retention and disposal schedule.
We will then securely destroy your personal data. SharePoint data will be manually deleted in line with agreed retention period where information is not required to be retained as part of our 
statutory obligations. Our access to the government portal will be removed.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights we need to make you aware of. The rights available to you depend on our reason for processing your information. Further information can be found on our Main council privacy notice

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at dpo@Woking.gov.uk
You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data by:

Visiting the ICO website
Telephone: ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113
Write to: Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF