Accessing someone else's data, information or records
To request information for someone else, you need evidence that you have their permission to do so.
You'll need to confirm:
- their full name
- their date of birth
- their postal address
You'll also need to provide evidence of the authority you have for being able to request their information (for example, Power of Attorney, consent)
We may need to ask for the individual’s consent to share information or may need to speak to other people to assess whether your request is in the individual’s best interest, including others, who have shared parental responsibility in the case of a child.
| Data subject | Evidence required |
|---|---|
| Child under 12 (or older child lacking mental capacity) | Demonstrable evidence that you have parental responsibility for that child. |
| Child over 12 | Your child may be asked to consent or agree to disclose data to you in certain circumstances. |
| Adult (who lacks mental capacity) | Official paperwork listing you as legal guardian of the data subject. |
| Solicitor or agent (acting on behalf of an individual) | A form of authority addressed specifically to the council and signed by the data subject or their legal representative. In some circumstances we may also request explicit consent from the data subject. |
Access information about someone who has died
We can’t release information about someone who has died, except to the person who represents their estate. This is because of the common law of confidentiality that protects each person's privacy.
The person who represents the estate can be a person who has a 'grant of probate' (if the deceased left a will) or letter of administration (if the deceased did not leave a will or died intestate).
If you're the personal representative for the deceased person's estate and affairs, we'll need to see the legal documentation proving this, before giving you any records.