Making a request
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have 28 days to respond to you.
To make a request, contact housing.options@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
The type of personal information we collect
We currently collect and process the following information:
- names
- gender
- address history
- dates of birth
- proof of identity (documentation such as passport, birth certificate)
- contact details (email and telephone)
- next of kin details
- personal and financial details of other household members
- legal certificates
- bank details including statements
- income details including copies of pay slips
- other financial information such as debts
- tenancy history
- GP details
- nationality
- evidence of immigration status
- National Insurance number
- employment details
We also collect the following special category information:
- race or ethnic origin
- religious beliefs
- sexual orientation
- physical and mental health conditions
- substance and alcohol misuse information
- offending and other information relating to the criminal justice system
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. These are set out in paragraphs 1 to 37.
How we get the personal information and why we have it
Information is collected from you as the service user by:
- online forms
- hard copy documents
- telephone
- face to face discussion
This information will be collected from either you directly as the data subject, or from a representative acting on your behalf.
Information may also be collected through third parties such as:
- the police
- children’s services
- social care services
- mental health services
- hospitals
- general practitioners
- other local authorities
- the housing benefit department
- the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- landlords or hosts
- the courts
We use the information that you have given us in order to determine the level of assistance and help you will be entitled to under Part VI and Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017).
Under Part VI, the council has various duties in respect of the management of its housing register and the allocation of social housing.
The legislation requires the council to:
- have an allocation scheme for determining priorities
- define the procedures to be followed in allocating housing accommodation
- allocate in line with that scheme
In framing its allocation scheme to determine allocation priorities, the council must make sure that reasonable preference is given to the certain categories of people as set out in the legislation.
Under Part VII, the council has various legal duties in respect of households that are homeless or threatened with homelessness. The legislation requires the council to:
- take action to prevent homelessness
- to provide assistance to people threatened with or actually homeless
This may include the provision of interim (emergency or temporary) accommodation.
Getting and holding information regarding the household is therefore a necessary action by the council in order to make enquiries for it to meet its legal obligations under this legislation.
We may also use your information where you have been referred to the Sanctuary Scheme, to contact you to collect feedback on the service.
How the law allows us to use your personal information
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing this information is to perform a public task.
The housing options service will process your information to comply with its legal obligations under the Housing Act and under a public task duty as per UK GDPR Articles 6 and 9. If we need consent for additional services we will make sure it is both informed and explicit.
Lawful basis for processing
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis for processing is Article 6 UK GDPR:
- (b) process is necessary for the performance of a contract
- (c) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject
- (e) a task carried out in the public interest
Special category data
Special category data is being processed under Article 9 UK GDPR:
- (f) legal claims or judicial acts
- (g) reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)
- (h) health and social care (with a basis in law)
You can read the guide to lawful basis for processing special category data on the Information Commissioner's Office website.
Who we share your information with
Information held by the council may be shared with the following organisations:
- other council departments including environmental health, housing benefit, children’s services and adult social care
- other local authorities (education, social care children and relevant housing and employment and other services)
- central government
- multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) – for safeguarding concerns relating to children
- multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) – relating to ex-offenders for the purposes of risk management
- multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) and domestic abuse repeat incident meeting (DARIM) – relating to cases of domestic abuse for the purposes of risk management and safeguarding
- other third-party organisations, as allowed by law
- other partner agencies that provide services on our behalf
- agencies with whom we have a duty to co-operate, such as the police
- housing providers
- Department for Work and Pensions
- HM Court Services
- health authorities
- general practitioners
- the cabinet office - for the purposes of a data matching exercise called the national fraud initiative - the purpose of this exercise is to detect fraud and error and the council is legally required to participate
- elected members – to resolve queries when acting on your behalf
Service adjustments
If you need service adjustments, email housing.options@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.