Guidance

Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 evaluation: privacy notice

Published 4 September 2024

Applies to England

The following is to explain your rights and give you the information you are entitled to under UK data protection legislation.

1. The identity and contact details of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) data protection officer

MHCLG is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk.

2. What personal data are we collecting and why

If you qualify to complete the full survey your personal data will be collected as part of an evaluation of the Affordable Homes Programme 2021 to 2026. The programme aims to provide good quality affordable housing for rent and ownership.

If you do not qualify to complete the survey, we will not be collecting or processing any personal data.

The purpose of the Affordable Homes Programme evaluation is to provide the government with evidence about:

• how the programme is being delivered throughout England
• the experiences of those moving into the homes funded by the programme including any effects on wellbeing, financial situation and housing security

Evidence from the evaluation will inform future government policy and help us understand how we can improve the provision of affordable housing in the future.

Personal data will be used to invite you to participate in the research. It will also be used to understand how different groups of people experience moving into and living in affordable housing (Social Rent, Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership).

The following personal data is being collected for the research:

• contact details (to invite you to take part in future surveys): name, email address, and postal address
• demographic (some of which is referred to as special category data, i.e. sensitive data): age, ethnicity, household makeup, benefit receipt, and health

We will also collect data relating to the property where you currently reside including EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ratings and number of bedrooms.

For the current research we will ask Verian to store the personal data so they can invite you to repeat the questionnaire. This will allow us to measure any changes over time.
Participation in future research would be voluntary and you would have no obligation to participate.

3. Lawful basis for processing the data

The data protection legislation sets out when we are lawfully allowed to process your data. The lawful basis that applies to this processing is Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR – public task.

• For processing of special category data, we will rely on Article 9(2)(g) of the UK GDPR – processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.

4. With whom we will be sharing the data

Anonymised data gathered using the questionnaire will be shared with MHCLG to answer additional/future policy related questions.

The current research does not include plans to share data with other government departments, however, we will update the privacy notice if that changes. Any future research will be to your experiences of the housing and any changes in circumstance.

5. For how long we will keep the personal data, or criteria used to determine the retention period

Verian (MHCLG’s data processor) will keep your personal data and store them securely until contract ends (currently June 2027). If their contract is extended the storage time will be extended in line with this.

6. Your rights, e.g. access, rectification, erasure

The data we are collecting is your personal data, and you have rights that affect what happens to it. You have the right to:

a. know that we are using your personal data
b. see what data we have about you
c. ask to have your data corrected, and to ask how we check the information we hold is accurate
d. complain to the ICO (see below)

In some circumstances you may also have the right to withdraw your consent to us having or using your data, to have all data about you deleted, or to object to particularly types of use of your data. We will tell you when these rights apply.

If you would like to exercise your rights please get in touch with the MHCLG DPO (contact details at the start of this privacy notice)

7. Sending data overseas

Your personal data will not be sent outside of the EU: it will be securely stored in the UK or EU by MHCLG and its processors.

8. Automated decision making

We will not use your data for any automated decision making.

9. Storage, security and data management

Processes are in place to ensure the secure transfer, handling, storage, and destruction of the data. These are specified in MHCLG’s Data Processing Agreement with Verian. All Verian staff handling data will be DBS checked. MHCLG’s contract with Verian sets out requirements for cyber security processes. Verian have up to date cyber security clearance from MHCLG’s cyber security team.

MHCLG will only use your data within the terms of data protection laws, will delete your data securely and only keep it for as long as necessary for our work as a public body. MHCLG will review dates for keeping personal details and data in the future. Where relevant, some data may be kept without personal details attached (e.g. survey results) for longer periods.

This research is being carried out by Verian on behalf of MHCLG. Verian are our data processors for this research.

10. Complaints and more information

When we ask you for information, we will keep to the law, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation.

If you are unhappy with the way the department has acted, you can make a complaint.

If you are not happy with how we are using your personal data, you should first contact dataprotection@communities.gov.uk.

If you are still not happy, or for independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing, you can contact:

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

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745

https://ico.org.uk/