Privacy Policy

At Citizens Advice we collect and use your personal information to help solve your problems, improve our services and tackle wider issues in society that affect people’s lives. We only ask for the information we need. We always let you decide what you’re comfortable telling us, explain why we need it and treat it as confidential.

When we record and use your personal information we:

• only access it when we have a good reason

• only share what is necessary and relevant

• don’t sell it to anyone

You can find out how we collect your data for our core advice services, see our national Citizens Advice privacy page.

What Citizens Advice Manchester ask for

To find out what information we ask for, see our national Citizens Advice privacy policy

The national Citizens Advice charity and your local Citizens Advice operate a system called Casebook to keep your personal information safe. This means they’re a ‘joint data controller’ for your personal information that’s stored in our Casebook system.

In addition Citizens Advice Manchester using G Suite as its productivity suite and your personal data may be stored there while your case is active. Our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to casebook during the course of your case. For more information read G Suite & GDPR.

When using the Facebook Messenger Advice Service our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to casebook during the course of your case. Your data will not be used for advertising purposes. Facebook will also store your data in accordance with the Terms of Service of your Facebook account. https://www.messenger.com/privacy Facebook is a third-party service and Citizens Advice Manchester cannot accept liability for data held by Facebook or breaches of that data. Security of data cannot be guaranteed in messages you send to us through Facebook Messenger and we do not control and are not responsible for the use of your data by this third-party service

When using the WhatsApp Debt Service our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to casebook during the course of your case. Facebook will also store your data in accordance with the Terms of Service of your WhatsApp account. WhatsApp is a third-party service and Citizens Advice Manchester cannot accept liability for data held by WhatsApp or breaches of that data. Security of data cannot be guaranteed in messages you send to us through WhatsApp and we do not control and are not responsible for the use of your data by this third-party service.

We use SMS message platform TextAnywhere to send appointment reminders and important updates about your case. When using the TextAnywhere our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to casebook during the course of your case. TextAnywhere store your data in accordance with their Privacy Notice.  We always ensure we have your consent before contacting you via TextAnywhere. If you feel this was not the case please contact us via headoffice@citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk

When using the Self Referral Webform our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to casebook during the course of your case. The referrals uses a third party platform Refernet, all data stored is in accordance with their Privacy Notice. We always ensure we have your consent before adding any of your personal data to Refernet. If you feel this was not the case please contact us via headoffice@citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk.

Our video drop in is supported through the SQOD  platform.  When using the SQOD our policy is to minimize all data collected and we aim to transfer all personal information to the casebook during the course of your case. SQOD   stores your data in accordance with their Privacy Notice.  People are asked for consent to record their video session using SQOD , If permission is granted, recordings will remain on the SQOD system for 30 days. Citizens Advice Manchester will only access these recordings for quality assurance and training purposes, and they will be handled in line with our GDPR standard.If you feel this was not the case please contact us via headoffice@citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk

Where we have control over your data, such as deciding how we use the messages you send us to meet your advice needs, we will make sure that we comply with GDPR and keep your data safe. For example, making sure only the right staff and volunteers can see the messages.

Citizens Advice Manchester uses CCTV and surveillance system images at its premises at Barlow House Manchester, for the prevention and detection of crime, public and employee safety. and the monitoring of its property in order to provide a safe and secure environment for employees, volunteers, contractors and visitors, and to prevent the loss of or damage to CAM' contents and property. Cameras are located in the main reception area and ground floor public meeting rooms. 

We rely on the following lawful basis for processing your personal data under UK GDPR 

• Article 6(1)(c) to comply with our legal obligations regarding Health and Safety 

• Article 6(1)(e) for the performance of our public tasks around crime prevention, public safety and functions related to our strategies, plans and policies  

Data may also be downloaded, retained and shared with external organisations and internal departments in accordance with the above articles 

We handle and store your personal information in line with the law - including the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. You can check our main Citizens Advice policy for how we handle most of your personal information.

Working on your behalf

When you give us authority to act on your behalf, for example to help you with a Universal Credit claim, we’ll need to share some information with Manchester City Council.

At times we might use or share your information without your permission. If we do, we’ll always make sure there’s a legal basis for it. This could include situations where we have to use or share your information:

• to comply with the law - for example, if a court orders us to share information. This is called ‘legal obligation’

• to protect someone’s life - for example, sharing information with a paramedic if a client was unwell at our office. This is called ‘vital interests’

• to carry out our legitimate aims and goals as a charity - for example, to create statistics for our national research. This is called ‘legitimate interests’

• for us to carry out a task where we’re meeting the aims of a public body in the public interest - for example, delivering a government or local authority service. This is called ‘public task’

• to carry out a contract we have with you - for example, if you’re an employee we might need to store your bank details so we can pay you. This is called ‘contract’

• to defend our legal rights - for example, sharing information with our legal advisors if there was a complaint that we gave the wrong advice

If you have any questions about how your information is collected or used, you can contact our office.

Andy Brown

Email: headoffice@citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk

You can contact us to:

• find out what personal information we hold about you

• correct your information if it’s wrong, out of date or incomplete

• request we delete your information

• ask us to limit what we do with your data - for example, ask us not to share it if you haven’t asked us already

• ask us to give you a copy of the data we hold in a format you can use to transfer it to another service

• ask us stop using your information

Who’s responsible for looking after your personal information

The national Citizens Advice charity and your local Citizens Advice operate a system called Casebook to keep your personal information safe. This means they’re a ‘joint data controller’ for your personal information that’s stored in our Casebook system.

Each local Citizens Advice is an independent charity, and a member of the national Citizens Advice charity. The Citizens Advice membership agreement also requires that the use of your information complies with data protection law.

You can find out more about your data rights on the Information Commissioner’s website.