Alive! Nationwide - Privacy Statement
Effective Date: [1/12/2024]
Last Updated: [1/12/2024]
Alive! Nationwide is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This statement outlines how we collect, use, and share your information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).
1. Data We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal data:
● Personal Identification Information: Name, date of birth, and contact details (address, email, phone number).
● Case-Specific Information: Details relating to your experience of domestic abuse, which may include sensitive data such as information relating to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, mental health, and any related financial or social circumstances.
● Legal Documentation Data: Any information required to prepare witness statements or other court-related documents. This may include police reports, medical records, or financial statements.
● Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and other data collected through cookies when using our website. We use different types of cookies, including essential cookies for website functionality, analytical cookies to understand website usage, and marketing cookies to provide relevant information.
2. How We Use Your Data
We process your personal data for the following purposes:
● Providing Legal Assistance: To prepare witness statements and other legal documents. To facilitate connections with legal professionals who can offer guidance on legal processes and representation.
● Communications: To contact you regarding your case, updates, or services you’ve requested.
● Compliance and Legal Obligations: To comply with legal requirements and ensure proper documentation for court proceedings.
● Improving Services: To enhance the quality and accessibility of our services. For example, we may use anonymised data to analyse trends, identify service gaps, and inform the development of new support programs.
3. Sharing Your Data
We may share your personal data with trusted third parties in the following circumstances:
● Legal Professionals and Court Authorities: To effectively represent you, we may share your information with solicitors, barristers, and court officials involved in your case. We may also share data to comply with court orders or legal obligations.
● Third-Party Service Providers: We use data processors to support our services. This includes Aktivdigital, and Brandcrowd for IT support, Monday.com for secure document storage. These providers are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and in accordance with data protection laws.
● Funding and Advocacy Support: We may share limited information with organisations
that provide funding for legal aid services. This is necessary to assess eligibility for financial assistance and ensure we can continue to provide support.
● Statutory Authorities: In situations where we have a legal duty to report concerns, such as safeguarding vulnerable individuals or children, we may share information with agencies like the local authority social services or the police.
● We will never sell your data to third parties.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
The legal bases we rely on for processing your personal data include:
● Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR): For processing sensitive data with your explicit agreement. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our Data Protection Officer.
● Contractual Necessity (Article 6(1)(b)): To fulfil services you have requested.
● Legal Obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): To comply with applicable laws or court directives.
● Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): To provide efficient and effective services, such as ensuring the effective operation of our services and protecting the vital interests of individuals, balanced against your rights.
5. Data Security
We implement robust security measures to protect your data. These include but are not limited to: access controls, encryption, pseudonymization, regular security assessments, and staff training.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined above or to comply with legal requirements. [Provide more specific information on retention periods, if possible. For example, "Case files will be retained for 7 years after the conclusion of the case, in accordance with legal requirements."] Upon expiration of the retention period, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised.
7. Your Rights
You have the following rights under the UK GDPR:
● Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
● Rectification: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
● Erasure: Request deletion of your data where it is no longer needed.
● Restriction: Request limits on how your data is processed.
● Objection: Object to specific data processing activities.
● Data Portability: Request the transfer of your data to another service provider.
To exercise these rights, you can submit a request in writing to our Data Protection Officer.
8. Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO):
Data Protection Officer Alive!
Nationwide Email: SC@alivenationwide.org
Address: 61 Bridge Street, Kington Herefordshire, HR5 3DJ
9. Complaints
If you believe we have not handled your data in compliance with this statement or applicable laws, you can lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Website: https://ico.org.uk Phone: 0303 123 1113
Alive! Nationwide ensures that all third-party partners adhere to strict confidentiality and data protection standards, in line with this statement and relevant UK laws. By engaging with our services, you agree to this privacy statement. This policy will be reviewed and updated annually.