At Citizens Advice North Hertfordshire, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This notice explains how we collect, use, and store your personal data when you seek advice or use our services.

Who We Are

Citizens Advice North Hertfordshire is a registered charity providing free, confidential, and impartial advice to help people resolve their problems. We are a data controller, responsible for ensuring that your personal data is handled in accordance with data protection laws.

📍 Our Contact Details:

• Address: 49 Station Road, Letchworth Garden City SG6 2SZ
• Email: enquiries@nhdcab.org.uk
• Phone: 01462 689801

What Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

1️ Personal Details

✔ Name
✔ Date of birth
✔ Contact details (email, phone, address)

2️ Financial Information

✔ Income, benefits, debts, or other financial circumstances

3️ Special Category Data (Sensitive Data)

✔ Health conditions
✔ Ethnicity and race
✔ Sexual orientation
✔ Religious or philosophical beliefs
✔ Trade union membership
✔ Genetic or biometric data (only if necessary)

4️ Third-Party Information

✔ Information about other people relevant to your case (e.g., household members, carers, or legal representatives)

We only collect necessary data to provide advice and services effectively.

How We Use Your Data

We process your data lawfully, fairly, and transparently under UK GDPR.

Lawful Bases for Processing

Instead of relying on consent, we now use these legal bases:

1️ Legal Rights (Article 9(2)(f) UK GDPR) – Helping you establish or defend your rights, such as benefits, housing, or debt issues.

2️ Public Interest (Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR) – Where we have a statutory duty to provide advice, such as the Consumer Service or local authority-funded services.

3️ Confidential Counselling & Advice (Article 9(2)(g) UK GDPR) – Supporting your welfare, such as emotional support for isolation or wellbeing.

We also process data under legitimate interests to improve our services and carry out research.

Do You Need to Give Consent?

❌ No. We do not rely on consent as our primary legal basis for processing your data.
✔ However, you still have choices about how your data is shared, such as research participation or referrals to other organisations.

Who We Share Your Data With

We only share your data when necessary and with your knowledge. This may include:

👨‍⚖️ Government agencies (e.g., DWP, local councils) – for legal and statutory purposes.
🤝 Partner organisations – where they help provide services on our behalf.
📋 Regulators and auditors – to ensure quality standards.

🚫 We NEVER sell your data or use it for marketing.

How We Store & Protect Your Data

🔐 Your data is stored securely on Casebook, our case management system.
🛡 We apply strict security measures to protect against unauthorised access.
📁 We keep data only for as long as necessary, following legal guidelines.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
✔ Access your data
✔ Correct inaccurate data
✔ Request deletion of data (where applicable)
✔ Object to certain uses of your data
✔ Restrict processing in some cases

To exercise these rights, contact us at enquiries@nhdcab.org.uk

You can also raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.

Third-Party Data

If you provide information about someone else (e.g., a household member), we will process it in line with the same legal bases. We do not need to obtain their consent separately.

Cookies & Website Tracking

We may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. You can control or disable cookies in your browser settings.

For details, see our Cookie Policy.

You can check our main Citizens Advice policyfor how we handle most of your personal information.

Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this notice from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website.

📧 Questions? Contact Us:
📞 01462 689801
📩 enquiries@nhdcab.org.uk