Who we are
Huntingdonshire District Council Council will collect, use and be responsible for certain personal information given to us about you. When we do so we are regulated under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information.
We will work with you under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme as a sponsor. As a local authority, we will provide vetting/home checks in person, DBS checks and later, occasional welfare checks.
As part of the council’s work to support hosts (sponsors) and guests (arrivals from Ukraine) through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and our work to help our local communities in their efforts to welcome and provide support for hosts and guests, we are asking individuals to provide information, some of which may be personal data.
Personal information we collect and use
We will collect the following personal information when you provide it to us, or we receive from central government.
- Personal information such as your name, address
- Contact details such as email address, telephone number
- Bank details (to allow us to make appropriate payments)
- Information relating to individuals living in your household
We may also need to collect some ‘special category data’ and criminal convictions data in carrying out our safeguarding/DBS checks. This data is more sensitive and is treated with additional care and protection.
How we use your personal information
We use your personal information to:
- support the delivery of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme
- ensure sponsors and their households undertake DBS checks
- contact you regarding your application
- contact you to carry out further checks, for example to arrange a home visit
- provide additional information and support about services available to hosts, guests and communities
- contact you for updates on your hosting arrangement and the welfare of guests.
All data captured will be stored in line with retention periods stated below and shared with relevant service areas where necessary to progress with application checks.
What allows us to use your personal information
Contact with sponsors, welfare and home check visits is a public duty placed on the council (also known as GDPR 6,(1) (e)). You have the right to object to this processing, however if you do, you may not be able to proceed with your application to be a sponsor if you object to providing data for housing, DBS, welfare checks or finance purposes.
How long your personal data will be kept
We will only hold your personal information for as long as necessary. Personal data provided by government from your application, collected from you as a sponsor or that is generated through the checks process will be held for 2 years from the end of the scheme. Financial data relating to payments made will be held in line with our retention of all financial data for 7 years.
Who we share your personal information with
While working with you, we may collect information from, or share it with, some of the following third parties:
- Cambridgeshire County Council
- DLUHC
- relevant service areas and external organisations where necessary to progress with application checks and provide support to sponsors and guests.
Information will not be sold, or provided to anyone else, or used for any purpose that is not related to any of the council's statutory functions, unless you have been advised that we will do so, or it is required by law.
Your rights
For information on how you can access your personal data and your other rights please see our Privacy notice.
For further information about your rights, including the circumstances in which they apply, please visit the Information Commissioner’s website.
Keeping your personal information secure
We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being used or accessed in an unauthorised way. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. For further information on how the council keeps your data secure please see the main Privacy notice.
Who to contact
If you have any concerns regarding the way we have handled your personal data please contact the Data Protection Officer by emailing infogov@3Csharedservices.org.
UK GDPR also gives you right to lodge a complaint with Information Commissioner, who may be contacted via the Information Commissioner's website.
Last updated July 2022