Our current data protection notification is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – reference Z5809563. We regularly review this privacy notice, and it was last updated in July 2025.
We are committed to ensuring that personal data is handled in accordance with the principles set out in data protection legislation and guidance from the ICO.
This privacy notice tells you what to expect when we process your information and it applies to the council’s Fuel and Food voucher scheme.
We are the controller for this information unless we specifically state otherwise in this privacy notice.
This privacy notice should be read in conjunction with other our relevant privacy notices, policies and procedures. View the privacy and transparency information for all of the City of York Council.
When appropriate, we will provide a ‘just in time’ notice to cover any additional processing activities not mentioned in this document.
- collecting personal data
- using personal data
- Automated decision-making
- Collecting information automatically
- Children's information
- Lawful basis for processing your personal data
- How long we keep your personal data
- Data sharing
- Data processors and or third parties
- Transfers of personal data
- How we protect your information
- Your rights in relation to this processing
Collecting your information
We get information about you from the following sources:
- directly from you when you apply
- from third parties such as a Local Area Coordinators or Citizens Advice on your behalf
Processing personal data
We will only process the information that is necessary to consider your application such as:
- Name
- Address
- Contact details, for example, email address and phone number
- Health information
We will use your information to process your application.
The information we collect will be included in reports and returns where required and to ensure support can be provided to groups in need of support. Any information for publication or use outside of the council staff who need to use it to process your application, will be anonymised and will not identify any individuals.
We may also ask you to take part in surveys or consultation on our services and where we do, we will ask for your consent. You can choose to withdraw your consent at any time by email: benefitscontributions@york.gov.uk.
We must protect public funds and may use personal data and data-matching techniques to detect and prevent fraud, collect taxes and ensure public money is targeted and spent in the most appropriate and cost-effective way. To do this, your personal data may be shared with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, including the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the Police and other local authorities.
Automated decision-making
We do not carry out any automated decision-making in our fuel and food voucher scheme.
Collecting information automatically
Please see our cookies page for further information about the information we collect automatically when you use our website
Childrens’ information
Where we provide services directly to children or young people, the information in the relevant parts of this notice applies to children and young people, as well as adults.
Lawful basis for processing your personal data
Any personal data or special category data that we process about individuals is done so in accordance with one or more of the following Article 6 and 9 of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).
The legal basis for processing your information data is in accordance with the following:
- Article 6(1)
- (a) Consent: the individual has given clear consent for the council to process their personal data for a specific purpose.
- (e) Public task: the processing is necessary for the council to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.
- Article 9(2)
- (a) Explicit consent
- (g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)
Some of the Schedule 1 conditions for processing special category and criminal offence data require an Appropriate Policy Document (APD) to be in place, which sets out and explains the procedures for securing compliance with the principles in Article 5 and policies regarding the retention and erasure of such personal data. This document explains this processing and satisfies the requirements of Schedule 1, Part 4 of the DPA 2018 and supplements this privacy notice
Our Appropriate Policy Document provides further information about this processing.
How long we keep your personal data
We will only keep your information for as long as it is needed and then it will be securely and confidentially destroyed.
You can find more details about how long the council keeps records in the Council retention schedule.
Data sharing
We will only share your information where it is appropriate to, with:
- other CYC services
- other councils, government departments and agencies
- other organisations such as NHS
- third parties including our data processors, partners or contractors, who undertake work on our behalf
- internal and external auditors
In some circumstances, such as under a court order or safeguarding, we are legally obliged to share information. We may also share information about you with third parties including our data processors, government agencies and external auditors.
We will always satisfy ourselves that we have a lawful basis on which to share the information and document our decision-making.
Additionally, we are required under the Public Records Act 1958 (as amended) to transfer records to the City or National Archives (TNA) for permanent preservation. Full consideration will be given to Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation when making decisions about whether such records should be open to the public.
Data processors and or third parties
Where we have third parties providing parts or all of our services for us, we have contracts or agreements in place with them. These include:
- Charis Grants Ltd for the purpose of maintaining records for audit purposes, returns and statistical information to ensure vouchers are able to be provided to those most in need. You can find out what they do with personal information at Charis Privacy Notice
- If we use Microsoft Teams, to contact you, to gather information from you, or if we are recording or transcribing our discussion or meeting with you, we will let you know. You can find more details about this in our Microsoft Office 365 (MS365) Teams Meeting recording and transcription privacy notice
- When we use SurveyMonkey for our surveys or consultations. You can find out how they use your information at Privacy Notice (Survey Monkey)
- When we use Zimma Ltd trading as Ticket Tailor, for example, for arranging and organising events. You can find out how they use your information at Privacy Policy (Ticket Tailor)
- Where we use WhatsApp, you can find out how they use your information at Privacy Policy (WhatsApp UK)
- Low-Income Family Tracker Dashboard (LIFT) from Policy in Practice. Policy in Practice (PIP) (ICO Registration Number: ZA006797) Privacy policy (Policy in Practice)
Transfers of personal data
We do not routinely transfer personal data or special categories of personal information outside of the UK but when this is necessary, we ensure that we have appropriate safeguards in place and that is done in accordance with the UK data protection and privacy legislation.
How we protect your information
We are committed to keeping your information safe and secure. There are several ways we do this, such as:
- IT security safeguards such as firewalls, encryption, and anti-virus software
- on-site security safeguards to protect physical files and electronic equipment
- training for all staff and elected councillors
- policies and procedures
Your rights in relation to this processing
To find out about your rights under Data Protection law, you can visit the ICO website.
You can also find information about your rights at our privacy page.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, want to exercise your rights, or if you have a complaint about how your information has been used, please contact us via email: information.governance@york.gov.uk or telephone 01904 554145, or write to the Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection OfficerCity of York Council
West Offices
Station Rise
York
YO1 6GA