Privacy and Bucks Home Choice

This Privacy Notice explains how the Bucks Home Choice service at Buckinghamshire Council (the data controller) will use the personal information we collect about you when you use this service.

We can hold the following information on you:

• names
• date of birth
• contact details, including phone number and email address
• address history
• tenancy history
• proof of identity
• national insurance number
• employment details
• nationality
• immigration status
• bank details
• details of income and expenditure
• other financial information such as debts
• contact we have had with you (such as correspondence)
• personal and financial details of other household members

We may also collect and process special categories of personal information that may include:

• health and medical information
• race and ethnicity
• religious beliefs
• sexual orientation
• criminal convictions

We need your information to:

• assess your eligibility and housing need for social housing
• administer your application and maintain accurate records
• allocate housing in accordance with the Bucks Home Choice Allocations Policy
• communicate with you about your application and housing options
• prevent and detect fraud

The lawful basis for processing your personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR is:

• Article 6(1)(a): your consent
• Article 6(1)(c): we have a legal obligation
• Article 6(1)(e): we need it to perform a public task

If we need to use your special category or criminal offence data, we may do so under:

• Article 9(2)(a): explicit consent
• Article 9(2)(c): vital interests
• Article 9(2)(g): substantial public interest
• Article 10 which permits processing under the control of official authority or when authorised by law.

Schedule 1, Part 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018, specifically:

• Paragraph 6 – Statutory and government purposes
• Paragraph 18 – Safeguarding of children and individuals at risk.

Where we rely on consent to process your personal data, you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at [email protected]. Or call us on 0300 131 6000.

If you choose not to provide your information, or restrict us from using it, we may be unable to verify or process your housing application.

We will share your information, if appropriate, with:

• registered housing providers
• other relevant services within the council – e.g. housing benefit and council tax, social care services, and children’s services
• private sector landlords and lettings agents
• government bodies - e.g. Department of Work and Pensions
• the police, prison, probation and youth offending services
• GPs and hospitals
• other local authorities

This list is not exhaustive, and we may need to use your data to refer you to other third parties and / or other relevant agencies.

We will securely hold your information and only keep it for as long as is necessary. Where information is no longer needed it will be confidentially disposed of.

The Council does not transfer personal data processed for the purposes of this Privacy Notice outside the UK.

We do not carry out any automated decision making in relation to the assessment process.

You have legal rights over your information. For details of those rights, see our corporate Privacy Policy. Your rights will differ depending on our lawful basis for processing your personal information.

Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 0300 131 6000.

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to the Data Protection Officer. You can also then complain to the ICO if you remain unhappy with how we have used your personal information.

Date of publication/last update: 11/12/2025