Portsmouth City Council ("the Council", "we", "us") is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) (Registration Number Z5578313).
This privacy notice explains how Portsmouth City Council collects, uses, shares, stores and protects personal information relating to the Sheltered Housing Service.
Who we are and how to contact us
Data Controller: Portsmouth City Council (Registration Number Z5578313)
Address: Civic Offices, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Data Protection Officer Email: DataProtection@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Telephone: 023 9282 2251
If you have questions about this notice or want to exercise your data protection rights, contact the Data Protection Officer using the details above.
Who this notice applies to
This notice applies to:
- Residents receiving sheltered housing support services
- People receiving personal care services provided by Portsmouth City Council staff
- Family members, carers and representatives involved in supporting residents where appropriate
The personal information we collect
We may collect:
- Name, address and date of birth
- Contact details, including telephone numbers and email addresses
- Information about your family and household circumstances
- Next of kin and emergency contact details
- Information about your physical and mental health
- Housing, social care and support needs
- Financial information relating to tenancy payments and chargeable services
- Records of correspondence, emails, letters and telephone calls
- Information provided by professionals involved in your care or support
- Information needed to help you remain independent in your home
We only collect and use the information necessary to deliver sheltered housing services and support.
Special Category Data
The Sheltered Housing Service may process special category personal data, including health information, disabilities, care requirements and support needs.
We only process this information where the law allows and with appropriate safeguards in place.
Where we get your information from
We obtain information:
- Directly from you through tenancy, care and support arrangements
- From family members, carers or representatives you ask us to contact
- From health and social care professionals involved in your support
- From other organisations involved in providing support where lawful and necessary
How we use your information and our lawful bases
We use personal information to:
- Deliver sheltered housing support services
- Provide support appropriate to your individual needs
- Deliver personal care services where these are provided by Council staff
- Contact you about your support arrangements and any changes affecting your services
- Help you access related services, including Housing Options and Money Advice
- Support residents to remain independent in their homes
- Process payments for services such as meals and laundry where available
- Support service planning and development
Lawful Bases under UK GDPR
Most sheltered housing activities are carried out under the lawful bases of:
- Article 6(1)(e) Public Task – processing is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority, including the provision of sheltered housing services
- Article 6(1)(b) Contract – processing is necessary for the performance of your tenancy agreement and related service arrangements
Special Category Data (Article 9 UK GDPR)
Where special category information is processed, the Council relies on conditions including:
- Article 9(2)(h) – health or social care purposes
- Article 9(2)(g) – substantial public interest, including safeguarding and protecting individuals where applicable
Who we share your information with
We only share personal information where the law allows or requires us to, and only where it is necessary.
We may share information with:
- Police, emergency services and safeguarding partners where necessary to protect individuals or comply with legal obligations
- Family members or carers where you have given permission or where the law otherwise permits
- Contractors carrying out repairs and maintenance on our behalf
- Health and social care providers involved in your support
- Housing providers, local authorities and partner organisations involved in meeting your housing and support needs
We may share or withhold information where sharing would place any individual at risk.
Data Processors
Where organisations process personal data on our behalf, appropriate contracts are in place requiring them to:
- Process information only on our instructions
- Keep information secure
- Comply with data protection law
- Return or securely destroy information when no longer required
International Transfers
If it is necessary to transfer personal information outside the UK, we will do so only in accordance with UK GDPR requirements and appropriate safeguards.
How long we keep your information
Personal information is only kept for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and in accordance with the Council's corporate retention schedule.
Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected.
Further information can be found in the Council's corporate retention schedule.
How we keep your information secure
Technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal information, including:
- Access controls and permissions
- Staff training and awareness
- Secure storage and IT systems
- Regular monitoring and validation processes
- Information security and data protection policies
- Contractual controls with suppliers and service providers
Anyone processing personal information on behalf of Portsmouth City Council is required to do so securely and only for authorised purposes.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you may have the right to:
- Access your personal information (Subject Access Request)
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request erasure in limited circumstances
- Request restriction of processing
- Object to processing in certain circumstances
- Request data portability in limited circumstances
- Exercise rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling
Right to object
You have the right to object to processing carried out under public task in certain circumstances. Requests can be made by contacting the Data Protection Officer.
How to exercise your rights
You can ask whether Portsmouth City Council holds personal information about you and request a copy through a Subject Access Request.
You will usually be entitled to access your personal information, although access may be restricted where a legal exemption applies, including where disclosure would reveal confidential information about another person or could cause serious harm.
We will provide:
- A description of the information held
- Why we hold it
- Who it may be shared with
- A copy of the information in an understandable format
Automated Decision-Making
The Sheltered Housing Service does not make decisions about you that have a legal or similarly significant effect solely through automated processing.
If this changes, this privacy notice will be updated and your rights explained.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been used, please contact the Data Protection Officer in the first instance.
If you remain dissatisfied, you may complain to:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Links to other websites
The Council's website may contain links to other websites. This privacy notice does not cover those websites. Please read the privacy notices published on any external sites you visit.
Changes to this privacy notice
This privacy notice was last reviewed on 8 August 2025.