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Notice

Use of gas consumption data in subnational consumption statistics and the National Energy Efficiency Data-framework: privacy notice

Updated 7 September 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gas-consumption-data-in-subnational-consumption-statistics-and-the-national-energy-efficiency-data-framework-privacy-notice/use-of-gas-consumption-data-in-subnational-consumption-statistics-and-the-national-energy-efficiency-data-framework-privacy-notice

This notice sets out how we will use your personal data, and your rights. It is made under Articles 13 and/or 14 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

1. Your data

We will process the following personal data, related to each gas meter in Great Britain:

  • meter point reference number
  • gas consumption
  • property address
  • data about each meter (for example domestic/industrial indicator, local distribution zone)

2. Purpose

We are processing your personal data to enable the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to analyse household energy consumption and efficiency, for the purposes of supporting the development and evaluation of government energy policies.

Public task: Processing is necessary for the production of statistics and research related to energy consumption in Great Britain, as required to enable DESNZ to effectively manage and evaluate energy policy. This task is carried out in the public interest and in the exercise of official authority vested in the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

4. Recipients

Your personal data will be shared with DESNZ contractors (and if applicable their sub-contractors) where required for the delivery of work that DESNZ has contracted out. Your personal data will be shared with Digital Economy Act accredited processors so that de-identified data can be added to Digital Economy Act Accredited Processing Environments for research purposes.

Your personal data may be shared with other government departments, devolved administrations or public authorities where such sharing is permitted in law and aligned with the delivery of our departmental objectives or those of the other government departments, devolved administrations or public authorities which whom the data is shared.

We may share your data if we are required to do so by law, for example by court order or to prevent fraud or other crime.

As part of our IT infrastructure, your personal data will be stored in the UK on systems provided by our data processors – Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. This does not mean we actively share your personal data with these entities; rather, they are technical service providers who host infrastructure supporting our IT systems.

5. Retention

Your personal data will be kept by us for as long as required to support the reproduction of official statistics that are generated using this data. Such statistics are required for analysing long-term trends in energy consumption and efficiency, as well as research and policy development.

6. Automated decision making

Your personal data will not be subject to automated decision making.

7. Data source

Your personal data were obtained by us from Xoserve.

8. International transfers

Your personal data is processed in the UK.

9. Your rights

You have the right to:

  • request information about how your personal data are processed, and to request a copy of that personal data
  • request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay
  • request that any incomplete personal data are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement
  • request that your personal data are erased if there is no longer a justification for them to be processed
  • in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) request that the processing of your personal data is restricted
  • object to the processing of your personal data where it is processed for direct marketing purposes
  • object to the processing of your personal data

To exercise your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer using the contact details below.

10. Contact details

The data controller for your personal data is the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Contact the DESNZ Data Protection Office:

DESNZ Data Protection Officer
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
3-8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2EG

Email: dataprotection@energysecurity.gov.uk

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data, please write to the department’s Data Protection Officer in the first instance using the contact details above.

11. Complaints

If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator.

Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Contact form

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

12. Updates to this notice

If this privacy notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we will share it with other parties. The ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change.

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