Guidance

Home Office Crime research and Police and fire research – Privacy Notice

Updated 27 August 2026

1. Contact

Crime Analysis Unit and/or Police Analysis Unit

2nd Floor Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London.
SW1P 4DF

CrimeandPoliceStats@homeoffice.gov.uk and policingstatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

2. Background

One function of the Home Office is to process and analyse a variety of data provided by external organisations. The data is provided to the Home Office for research and statistical purposes.

Individuals have the right to know how, and for what purpose, the data is being collected, held and used. The processing must have a lawful basis which, in this case, is that the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest to meet a function of the Crown, a minister of the Crown or a government department. This Privacy Notice explains how the Home Office uses personal data provided by these organisations.

3. What data do we collect?

The Home Office receives data relevant to crime and policing from a variety of organisations, for example, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), National Health Service (NHS), Police forces, National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA). This data sometimes includes personal data such as location, and special categories of personal data, such as ethnicity. We also get location data from Landmark Solutions and Ordnance Survey (OS), which while on its own does not contain personal data, if matched with other datasets, might indirectly allow an individual to be identified. The Home Office is responsible for ensuring that all data is processed in line with data protection legislation.

4. How do we collect your data?

Data is submitted via aggregate data returns, and record level data feeds from operational systems, as required for analytical purposes. This privacy notice covers instances where aggregated data is shared, which may be classed as personal data, due to small numbers and a high degree of granularity, or the inclusion of special category data such as ethnicity. We may also collect data on an ad hoc basis for a specific project, and we may download data from open-source third-party websites for analytical purposes.

5. Under what legal basis do we collect your data?

The Home Office will rely on the legal basis specified in Article 6 (1) (e) of the UK GDPR.

“Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.”

Where sensitive or ‘special categories’ of personal data or data on criminal convictions and offences is collected, a separate condition for processing under Article 9 (2) (j) of the UK GDPR will apply.

“Processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) (as supplemented by section 19 of the 2018 Act) based on domestic law.”

6. How do we store your data?

Data is stored in secure databases on secure government networks. Access to these databases is controlled and restricted to analytical staff in the Home Office and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Rescue Services (HMICFRS), who have been security cleared. Where requested by the supplying organisation, only named analytical staff will have access to their data. Additionally, Home Office IT staff and contractors responsible for managing the IT systems have access to the databases for maintenance purposes only.

Personal data received will be held for research and statistical purposes, to build up a long-term data series. Data retention periods will vary by dataset and project, with the retention period specified in individual data sharing agreements. Data is usually retained for a period of 99 years. It will be retained for the specified period, with an intention to review the data regularly to ensure that it is still required. If no longer needed, data will be destroyed in a safe manner.

7. How do we use your data?

The majority of data received is used for ad hoc research or ongoing monitoring of current crime patterns, such as the recent rise in serious violence, and to inform Home Office policy. For internal reporting, where appropriate, disclosure control methods will be applied to ensure individuals cannot be identified. This data is generally not published externally by the Home Office but may be published by the supplying organisations.

8. Why, and with whom, do we share this information?

Data collected from these organisations will occasionally be shared with other government departments, police forces, other law enforcement agencies and academics, though only following approval from the supplying organisation.

For more information on how we look after your information please see the Home Office Annual Data Requirement (ADR) data – Privacy Information Notice (PIN) for the Home Office. This privacy notice includes details on the legislation under which we hold and process your personal information and the organisations with whom we may share data.

9. How does this affect you?

The information shared is handled with care in accordance with the law. We are collecting and sharing your information to help us understand better the role and demand on the police forces and fire and rescue services and to inform crime, policing, fire and rescue policy and future service provision.

10. What are your data protection rights?

A lot of the projects use police force data collected by the Home Office under the Annual Data Requirement (ADR). Information on rights relating to police force data can be found at Home Office Annual Data Requirement (ADR) data – Privacy Information Notice

As third-party recipients of your data, the Home Office will usually refer requests to the organisation that supplied the data, and they will respond to you within 30 days. Where the organisation(s) make amendments to your data it is expected that, they will then submit updates to the Home Office.

The right to access. You have the right to request copies of your personal data. The organisation(s) will provide copies unless a valid legal exemption is applied.

The right to rectification. You have the right to request amendments or updates to be made to your personal data, where you believe the data is incorrect or incomplete.

The right to restrict processing. You have the right to request that the Home Office restricts the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances, for example while you are awaiting a response to a request to amend or delete your data.

The right to object to processing. You have the right to object to the Home Office processing your personal data, under certain conditions. In almost all cases, we process data for research or statistical purposes necessary for the performance of a public task, and under these circumstances we are not required to comply with an objection. We will consider all requests though, and to assist us in our decision-making, it is helpful if you state clearly what harm you believe may be caused by the processing of your data. We would weigh this against the benefits of processing the data.

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, report a concern or find out further information on the personal information we collect and process in the Home Office please see the Home Office’s Personal information charter. The PIC includes contact details for the Data Protection Officer at the Home Office.

11. Reviewing the privacy notice (PN)

We regularly review our PNs to ensure they are up to date particularly in terms of the organisations from whom we receive data, and we would welcome any feedback on this PN to feed into our review process. Additionally, testing out whether our PNs are clear and understandable and easy to access for data subjects is an important part of the review of the PNs. To leave us feedback please email us at crimeandpolicestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk or policingstatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk.

12. If you want to know more

Your personal information will be held and processed by the Home Office across staff working locations, using secure IT and analytical systems. The Home Office is the joint controller of this information, along with the organisation that supplied the data.

If you need more information on how your personal information is being processed by crime analysts within the Crime Analysis Unit, or by policing analysts from the Policing Analysis Unit, e-mail crimeandpolicestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk or policingstatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Contact details for the Home Office’s Data Protection Officer

Office of the DPO,
Peel Building,
2 Marsham Street,
London.
SW1P 4DF

Email: dpo@homeoffice.gov.uk

If you are unhappy with any aspect of this privacy notice, or how your personal information is being processed, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.