The information we hold, and the information provided to us by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is required for the calculation of your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support claim.
We receive personal information from yourself via your on-line application form, from the DWP, HMRC, and from landlords.
The information collected includes:
- your name, address and date of birth
- your financial information, including earnings and savings
- your household details
- your financial circumstances
- your National Insurance number
- your landlord details
- your immigration status
DWP sometimes needs information about people other than the person who has applied for a benefit or service to work out what that person is entitled to. For example, where a person makes a claim for Universal Credit, we need information about other people who live in the same household to work out how much the person will be paid.
We may also use information held in connection with Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and related welfare services to identify residents who may benefit from additional support, assistance, benefits, discretionary payments, employment support, homelessness prevention services or other council services designed to improve financial resilience and wellbeing. This may involve securely comparing and analysing information held by the council together with information lawfully provided by the Department for Work and Pensions and other government bodies. Any support offered as a result of this activity will be reviewed by authorised officers and decisions affecting entitlement will not be based solely on automated processing.
We have a duty to protect the public funds we administer and may use information held about you for all lawful purposes, including the administration of benefits and support schemes, the identification of residents who may require assistance, and the prevention and detection of fraud.
The council may also share this information with law enforcement agencies and other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.
Your data will be kept for a period of 15 years from the end of your claim.