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Council tax

Council Tax and Business Rates Privacy Notice

City of York Council (CYC) complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), reference: Z5809563.

We regularly review this privacy notice, and it was last updated in November 2024.

CYC is committed to ensuring that information is handled in accordance with the principles set out in data protection legislation and guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

This Privacy Notice explains how and why we process your information, under Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018 for law enforcement purposes and the steps we take to keep your information safe.

CYC is the controller for the personal data we process, unless otherwise stated. You can contact the council’s Data Protection Officer at:

West Offices
Station Rise
York
YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 554145.

Email: information.governance@york.gov.uk.

You can find more information about the role of the Data Protection Officer in our Data Protection Policy Statement.

This privacy notice should be read in conjunction with other relevant specific privacy notices that are available in our Privacy Notice.

When appropriate we will provide a ‘just in time’ notice to cover any additional processing activities not mentioned in this privacy notice.

How we collect your information

We collect information about you when you fill in one of our forms or contact us about your council tax and business rates, either in writing, over the phone or face to face in one of our Gateways.

We may also get information about you from third parties such as

  • letting Agents: To provide confirmation of occupation and vacation dates for tenants
  • solicitors: If they obtain relevant information in relation to you whilst acting on our behalf
  • landlords: To provide confirmation of occupation and vacation dates for tenants
  • Department for Work and Pensions: confirmation of any deductions from benefits in place
  • Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs: confirmation of any deductions from benefits in place
  • credit reference agencies: to verify your personal and financial information to ascertain your ability to pay arrears of council tax
  • other council services: to keep our records up to date and to help prevent and identify fraud

If you fail to provide certain information when requested, you may be committing a criminal offence, and we may as a result be prevented from complying with our legal obligations to administer and collect outstanding monies owed to the council. Similarly, in not providing your information you may find yourself subject to legal and debt recovery proceedings.

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What personal data we process and why

We process your personal data and special categories of personal data such as:

  • name
  • contact details including phone number and email address
  • address and any previous addresses
  • employer details
  • income and expenditure details
  • bank details
  • household composition and circumstances
  • National Insurance Number (NINO)
  • property ownership details and details of other properties owned
  • tenancy information
  • medical information
  • health information
  • disability information
  • if you are in prison or on remand
  • your opinions, comments, and feedback when you take part in our surveys and consultations

Where we process data relating to criminal convictions and offences, this may include details of any past criminal convictions or offences for one or more of the purposes shown below.

We use your information for the purposes of

  • billing, collecting, recovery and enforcing council tax and business rates
  • checking ownership of properties
  • administering discounts and exemptions
  • referrals to welfare rights or debt advice if appropriate to do so
  • verifying your entitlement to council tax discounts, or to trace individuals who owe arrears.
  • verifying your personal and financial situation to ascertain your ability to pay arrears of council tax and business rates, including tailoring our recovery methods, where appropriate.
  • better tailor our services to where they are most needed.

When you use our online payment system, we will only use the information you give us for recording your payment.

If you provide another person or organisation authority to discuss or to act on your behalf in council tax and business rates related matters, we may share information with them. In all cases we would require evidence that you had granted authority before any information is shared.

We have a statutory duty to check and review all council tax discounts to maintain accurate records. We carry out regular reviews of households claiming Single Occupancy Discount. We are supported in the Single Occupancy Discount review process by our partner company; Datatank.

We participate in the government’s National Fraud Initiative, a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the appropriate government department for matching for each exercise. This data may then be passed on to other public bodies to investigate any matches.

Where we have a lawful basis and it is appropriate to do so, we may record our communications (website, email, and phone conversations) with you. We'll inform you if your call is being recorded and you can find more details at Call Recording Privacy Notice – City of York Council

We may use your information to create reports and statistics that are anonymous and cannot be linked back to you, your family, or individuals such as:

  • statistical analysis
  • statutory returns
  • audit framework
  • see how the council and its partners are supporting individuals
  • help design better services
  • inform funding decisions

From time to time, we may conduct or ask you to take part in a survey to get your feedback, comments, and opinions to help us improve our services. We will only do this where we have your consent. If you take part in our surveys or consultation you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting revenues@york.gov.uk

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Automated decision-making

We do not carry out any automated decision making without any human intervention in providing this service.

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Collecting information automatically

Please see our Cookies Policy for further information about the information we collect automatically when you use our website.

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Children’s 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.

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Lawful basis for processing your personal data

Any personal data including special category data and criminal offence data that we process about individuals is done so in accordance with one or more of the following Articles 6, 9 and 10 of the UK GDPR and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

Article 6(1)

  • (a) Consent: the individual has given clear consent for the council to process their personal data for a specific purpose.
  • council to take specific steps before entering into a contract.
  • (c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for the council to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations).
  • (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
  • (b) Employment, social security and social protection (if authorised by law)
  • (g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)

This is supported by Schedule1, Part 2 (6) of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the following legal framework:

  • Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 (as amended)
  • Digital Economy Act 2017
  • Digital Government Regulations 2018
  • Local Government Finance Act 1988
  • Local Government Act 2003
  • Local Government Finance Act 2012
  • Localism Act 2011

Where we process personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, this is also under Article 10 UK GDPR that covers processing in relation to criminal convictions and offences or related security measures. In addition, section 11(2) of the DPA 2018 specifically confirms that this includes personal data relating to the alleged commission of offences, or proceedings for an offence committed or alleged to have been committed, including sentencing.

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.

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How long we keep your personal data

We will only keep your information for as long as it is needed then it will be securely and confidentially deleted or disposed of.

You can find more details about how long the council keeps records in the Council retention schedule – City of York Council

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Data sharing

We will only share your information where it is appropriate to, with:

  • other council services
  • third parties including our data processors or partners such as contractors who undertake work on our behalf, Welfare Rights Services or Debt Advice Services such York Citizens Advice, etc
  • your employer for the purpose of requesting an attachment to your earnings in the event of council tax debt.
  • government agencies
  • internal and external auditors

In some circumstances, such as under a court order or safeguarding, we are legally obliged to share information.

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.

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Data processors and/or third parties

When we have third parties providing parts or all of our services for us, we have contracts or agreements in place with them. These include

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Transfers of personal data

We don’t routinely transfer personal data 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.

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How we protect your information

We're 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

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Your rights in relation to this processing

To find out about your rights under data protection law, you can go to the Information Commissioner's Office website.

You can also find information about your rights in our Privacy Notice.

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 on email: information.governance@york.gov.uk, or on telephone: 01904 554145, or write to:

Data Protection Officer
City of York Council
West Offices
Station Rise
York YO1 6GA

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Also see

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Data Protection Officer

West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Telephone: 01904 554145

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