Connect to work - privacy policy

Name of service

Supported Employment – Connect to Work enables people who are disabled, with a long-term health condition or experiencing complex barriers to work, to secure sustainable employment.

What personal information is being processed and what for

As part of the Connect to Work programme delivery Cheshire East Council will collect personal information relating to individuals and businesses who access the programme.

For individuals accessing Connect to Work support programmes we collect the following information:

• Name (forename and surname)
• Email Address
• Address (including postcode)
• Telephone number
• Date of Birth
• Gender or gender Identity
• Ethnicity
• National Insurance Number
• Employment or labour market status
• Education Background (such as basic skills level, highest educational attainment, last engagement in education)
• Household situation
• Disability status and health conditions
• Whether you are in receipt of benefits

You will be required to present documents to confirm your identity. While we may record certain details (such as unique document reference numbers), we do not retain full copies of these documents.

The information we collect is used to confirm eligibility, to monitor performance and for programme evaluation and comparison with other delivery areas.

Why we are allowed to use your information

As a Local Authority responsible for administering the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Connect to Work Grant, Cheshire East Council must collect and process personal data to carry out our official duties and deliver the fund in line with government requirements.

We process personal data under Article 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), which allows processing that 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 special category data is processed, our lawful basis is Article 9(2)(g) of the UK GDPR. This permits processing that is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, as defined in UK law. This is supported by Schedule 1, Part 2, paragraph 8 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (employment, social security and social protection).

Who we will share your information with

To deliver the Connect to Work programmes, Cheshire East Council works in partnership with stakeholders and delivery partners. For the purpose of this Privacy Notice, this includes Cheshire West and Chester Council (The Lead accountable Body) and Warrington Borough Council.

Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council each act as independent data controllers for the information they collect to deliver the Connect to Work programme. All data sharing is carried out in line with data protection legislation.

We use this information to administer the Connect to Work programme. This includes sharing specified data with the DWP who provide the Connect to Work Grant funding.

Sharing this data with DWP is necessary to enable them to confirm eligibility and to monitor the effectiveness of the programme, and for the funding payments from the UK government.

The personal data shared includes:

• Name (forename and surname)
• Email Address
• Address (including postcode)
• Telephone number
• Age
• Gender/gender Identity
• Ethnicity
• Disability status and health conditions

Where we need to share your personal data with others, we will ensure data sharing complies with data protection legislation.

We may contact the Probation Service to discuss your probation conditions. We will do this to ensure services are delivered safely and in compliance with any restrictions.

Where we get your information from

Your information is supplied to us from referral partners e.g, JobcentrePlus, NHS Talking Therapies, Community and Voluntary organisations, etc or from yourself as a self-referral. This usually takes the form of an Expression of Interest document.

How long we will keep your personal information

The Connect to Work Programme will only keep your personal information for as long as we need it, in line with guidance from the DWP. Typically, this is up to seven years, after which point the data will be deleted.

How your information is stored

All information provided to our team is kept on secure electronic systems. These are all only accessible to appropriate Cheshire East Council Officers, and secured by passwords and, where appropriate, encryption.

What happens if you don't provide us with your information

If you are not able to supply the required data, then you will be unable to receive support from the Connect to Work programme.

Will your information be used to make automated decisions

No

Your rights

You have a number of rights regarding your personal data, including withdrawing your consent where we have asked for it. You can also ask for a copy of the information we hold about you and ask us to correct anything that is wrong. For detailed information about your rights please see our privacy notice at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk.