Homeless Service privacy notice

Our core data protection obligations and commitments are set out in the Council's Primary Privacy Notice

This notice provides additional privacy information for:

  • Members of the public accessing the homeless service
  • Partners working with Trafford Council

Purpose(s)

We collect, or obtain your personal information for the following purpose(s):

  • To assess your situation;
  • To contact you about your situation and the information you have provided;
  • To request you to provide documents to prove your homelessness or threatened homelessness and your situation;
  • To contact third parties with your personal information to request further personal information about you; and
  • Refer you to third parties and / or other agencies that may be able to help you
  • To make a decision based on your circumstances;
  • To deliver statutory duties on homelessness set out in the Housing Act 1996 including Part 7, Homelessness Act 2002 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017

Categories of personal data

In order to carry out these purposes we collect and obtain:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Contact number
  • Gender
  • Sexuality and sexual life – special category data
  • Address history
  • Criminal offence history – special category data
  • Income details
  • Ethnicity details – special category data
  • Drug/alcohol misuse
  • Medical issues – special category data
  • Previous agency involvement
  • Physical or mental health – special category data
  • Confirmed risk e.g. to self, children staff and others – special category data
  • Details of tenure and landlord details/mortgage provider

Legal basis for processing

The legal basis for processing your personal information is:

  • Performing or exercising obligations under law (Housing Act 1996 including Part 7, Homelessness Act 2002 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. We also advice and assist under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the Housing Act 1988, The Housing Act 1996, Protection from Eviction Act 1977).
  • You, or your legal representative, have given consent
  • Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest

Special Category data is processed pursuant to Article 9 (2)(c) – Necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject.

Consequences if information is not provided

If you do not provide certain information when requested we may not be able to perform the service you require or we may be prevented from complying with our legal obligations.

Information sharing/recipients

We may share personal information about you with the following types of organisations:

  • Social services and related agencies
  • NHS medical professionals
  • Doctor or associated Doctor's surgery staff
  • Police
  • Probation
  • Housing Associations
  • Supported Accommodation
  • Other departments within Trafford Council
  • Citizens' Advice Bureau
  • Solicitors
  • Private Landlords
  • Lettings Agents/Mortgage lending companies
  • Friends/relatives
  • Education services
  • Department of work and pensions
  • Employers
  • Courts
  • Housing Options Service Trafford

homelessness information is used by Ministry of Housing Communities Local Government ( MHCLG) to monitor levels and trends of homelessness. No names are disclosed.

M Think is soon to be used as a single database across GM for rough sleepers – so agencies can access a client’s details and history no matter where they migrate to. Some agencies will have more access than others.

A bed Every Night  (ABEN) information is shared for statistical and monitoring purposes with GMCA – no individual names are shared.

There may be certain circumstances where we would share without consent such as when we are required to do so by law for reasons of public safety, where someone is at risk of harm or in emergency situations. Only the minimum information for the purpose will be shared.

Automated decisions

All the decisions we make about you involve human intervention and are not automated.

Data retention/criteria 

We will only keep your personal information for as long as the law specifies or where the law does not specify this, for the length of time determined by our business requirements.

Rights of individuals

Information about:

  • exercising your rights
  • contacting our Data Protection Officer
  • raising a concern with us, or
  • making a complaint to the Information Commissioner is accessible in our guide on exercising your rights, found on the Council’s data protection internet page

If you wish to complain to the Information Commissioner the contact details are:

Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

Updates (notice)

We may update or revise this Privacy Notice at any time so please refer back to this page for the most up-to-date version. 

This page was last modified: Friday 11 September 2020 10:15