Privacy notices - Discretionary housing payments

The Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme allows councils the discretion to help people on a low income with their housing costs where Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) housing element alone does not meet all of their needs.
In order to assess your eligibility for this funding, we require your personal information, this may include:

Name/address 
Date of birth
Housing benefit application/Universal Credit information 
Household situation
financial situation
Bank details

Special Category data will not be expressly requested in connection with applications for the Scheme, but it is possible that co-incident collection of Special Category data could occur as a result of information provided by applicants (or third party individuals acting on their behalf) in connection with the applications, including, but not limited to, information relating to the applicant's health or family circumstances.

We will not be able to process your application for funding. 

Legal Obligation (A6(1)(c) of GDPR) - The council is legally obliged to process this data
Special categories of data in relation to benefit applications are processed under Employment, social security and social protection law (A9(2)(b) of GDPR).

• View personal data
• Change personal data
• Delete personal data
• Restrict processing of personal data

Information is shared with the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). This data will only be provided where the Council is processing claims on behalf of the customer.
Real time information is shared directly between the DWP and the Council to reduce fraud and error.
We also share this information with HM Revenue & Customs, other council services, and other local authorities.

The retention period is the current year plus 6 years.

Your data is not subject to automated processing.

The data controller is The Highland Council

Data Protection Officer
Highland Council Headquarters
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
01463 702029   

dpo@highland.gov.uk

If you are unhappy with the way we have processed your personal information you can contact the Information Commissioner:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/