How the law lets us use your personal information
There are a number of legal reasons why we need to collect and use your personal information. The privacy statement for each service explains which reason we have used for that service.
We may collect and use personal information where:
- it is necessary to perform our public tasks
- it is required by law or we have a legal obligation to collect the information
- it is necessary to protect someone in an emergency or to protect public health
- you have entered into a contract with us
- it is necessary for the purpose of pursuing a legitimate interest
- you, or your legal representative, have given consent, and this consent has not been withdrawn
If you have provided us with your consent to use your personal information, you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us.
Where we use personal data for law enforcement purposes we will do so in accordance with Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018. The term ‘law enforcement purposes’ relates to the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences, or the execution of criminal penalties (including the safeguarding against, and the prevention of, threats to public security.)
Sometimes we may need to collect and use special category information about you. We may do so where:
- it is necessary to perform our public tasks (which are in the substantial public interest)
- it is necessary to comply with employment, social security or social protection laws
- it is necessary for legal claims
- it is information which has already been made public by you
- it is in the public interest for public health reasons
- it is necessary for medical purposes
- it is necessary for archiving, statistical and research purposes
- the use of special category information about you is necessary to protect you or someone else in an emergency; or
- we have your explicit consent to use the particular special category information about you
In some limited circumstances we may also need to collect and use criminal history information about you. We may do so where:
- it is in the substantial public interest
- it is necessary for any legal claims
- it is necessary to protect you or someone else in an emergency
- it is information which is already in the public domain, or
- we have your explicit consent to use criminal history information about you
Where we use sensitive personal data for law enforcement purposes, we will only do this where it relates to a pressing social need, which cannot reasonably be achieved through less intrusive means. Such processing will only take place if either one of the law enforcement purposes set out in the Data Protection Act 2018 is satisfied, or you have given your consent