Council Tax Privacy Notice
Who are we and what do we do
Council Tax is part of Gateshead Council. We are based at the Civic Centre, Gateshead and provide the following services:
the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax
This privacy notice provides specific information about how we process your personal data. It is an addition to the information contained in our Corporate privacy notice.
What type of information is collected about you
We collect personal information to understand your needs and provide services. Information may include:
- name
- date of birth
- bank details if you pay by direct debit
- employment and benefit details
- health information including disability
- household makeup to apply the relevant discounts, exemptions and reliefs
- income and expenditure details
- occupancy or tenancy information
Contact details including:
- current and previous addresses
- email address
- telephone number
How we collect information about you
We collect information about you from various sources to ensure that we meet your needs, including:
- applications for housing benefit or Council Tax support, either online or paper forms made by you or someone acting on your behalf
- correspondence including emails, letters and forms sent by you or others, including landlords and letting agents
- credit searches provided by credit reference agencies (for example, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian)
- data matching exercises conducted through the National Anti-Fraud Network
- Gateshead Council benefits team
- Gateshead Council registrar of births, deaths and marriages
- information requests we make to other local authorities and public bodies
- in person (face-to-face)
- the register of electors
- telephone conversations with you or others acting on your behalf
Why we need your information
Our purpose for collecting personal information is to enable us to:
- assess your liability for Council Tax, include entitlement to discounts, exemptions and reductions
- communicate with you about services appropriate to your needs
- protect public funds, including the prevention and detection of crime or fraud
- recover any Council Tax due
The lawful bases for our processing is:
legal obligation to which the data controller is subject
task in the public interest
The legislation the service is obliged to comply with includes:
- the Local Government Finance Act, 1992
- the Council Tax (Administrative and Enforcement) Regulations, 1992
- the General Data Protection Regulation/Data Protection Act, 2018
The above list is not exhaustive. For a full list of relevant legislation please contact us.
Who your information can be shared with
Our Corporate privacy notice explains information sharing the Council carries out. This sharing fulfils statutory obligations, legal requirements and service delivery. Council Tax can share your information with:
- Adare SEC for printing and mailing services
- credit reference agencies
- Datatank Ltd for residency checks
- enforcement and collection agents
- Government agencies including the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) and HMRC
- the Valuation Office Agency
- the Valuation Tribunal Service
- your employer
- your place of study, for example a college or university
For delivering energy and other financial support to residents we may share with the following bodies:
- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
- Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
We may need to disclose personal information in other specific situations such as:
- where required by law
- where required for the prevention or detection of crime
- when disclosure is in the vital interests of the person concerned
We will not sell your information to third parties. We will not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.
Our lawful basis for this processing is legal obligation or task in the public interest and your consent is not required.
If we wish to share your information with other council services or third parties for purposes outside of those listed above we will ask your permission.
How long we will keep your information
We keep your information for as long as we need to provide services to you. We may also need to keep your information in accordance with legal or other obligations. Where we have no need to keep your data it will be securely destroyed. We keep a Record of Processing Activity (a requirement under the GDPR). This sets out the specific retention periods applicable in different circumstances. For more information please contact us.
Where your information is held
We hold personal information in secure electronic systems on Gateshead council servers.
How you can update your information
Our delivery of efficient services depends on the accuracy of your information.
Please inform us of any changes to the following:
- email address
- personal circumstances
- postal address
- any of the other information we hold
Your information rights
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Marketing and e-newsletters
Please see our email marketing privacy notice.
Business intelligence, profiling and automated-decision making
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Protecting your information
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Officer
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
0191 433 3000
Information Commissioner's Office
The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent body for upholding information rights. Visit their website (opens new window) to find out more about your rights under Data Protection law, and what to expect from us.
For privacy practices or data protection rights concerns, contact the Information Commissioner's Office:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745