Privacy notices: Council tax and benefits

Who we are

Revenues and Controls
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) Council
Town Hall 
St Ives Road
Maidenhead
SL6 1RF
Email: revenues&.controls@rbwm.gov.uk

Lawful basis for processing information

We collect your personal information for the following purposes:

• Collect payment for Council Tax and business Rates under the Local Government Finance Act 1992
• Assess your Council Tax liability and entitlement for applicable discounts, exemptions & reductions.
• Maintain the property database for both Council Tax and Business Rates and to calculate liability and charges for Council Tax and Business Rates.
• Recover any Council Tax due
• Allow the Council to communicate with you and to provide services appropriate to your needs including the take-up of relevant services
• Protect public funds, including the prevention and detection of crime or fraud
• Administer the Empty Homes Scheme
• Contact you about relevant consultations where we are legally obliged to.

Under the following lawful basis:

General Data Protection Regulation Article 6(1)(e) – processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

The legislation governing Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates) is the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Provision for a contractor to carry out this data processing is included in The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Tax Billing, Collection and Enforcement Functions) Order 1996.

How we collect information

Personal data is collected from you by paper enquiry forms, electronic forms, by telephone or face to face.

The paper forms used are:

• Occupation enquiry form.
• Discount and exemption application forms - a list of available discounts and exemptions can be found on our website.

Information can also be collected from:

• Landlords.
• Letting Agents.
• Other Councils.
• Department of Work & Pensions.
• Council departments- Planning, Building Control, Housing Benefits, Housing Options, Debt.

Recovery, Registrars, Electoral Registration, Adult Social Care, Incomes, Address Management and Environmental Health.

• BACS Payment Scheme Ltd (formerly known as Bankers Automated Clearing Services).
• Property Development Companies.
• Land Registry.

What information is collected

The type of information collected is name(s), address, telephone number and email address, date of birth, date of death, correspondence address, benefit entitlement, Bank details, contact details of your doctor, student details, and income details. We may also collect names and contact details of anyone you have appointed to act on your behalf.

Who has access to the information about you

• RBWM Council employees.
• Electoral Registration to determine electors’ eligibility to register to vote at an address.

Who we may share your information with

Under statutory duty or as required by law, personal information may be shared with:

• Other government agencies, including the DWP.
• The Police.
• Fraud Prevention i.e. National Fraud Initiative.
• HM Customs & Excise and the Valuation Office Agency.
• Allpay Limited where a payment card is requested by you.
• Auditors for the purpose of conducting an annual audit of our accounts.
• If a home is listed as empty, this information will be shared with our contractor, Capital Grid, for the purposes of corresponding with relevant residents. 
• Your employer.
• Your place of study.
• Office of National Statistics.
• Credit reference agencies.

How long we store your information

Seven years from the date the information has been received or processing of your personal information has begun.

Bank details supplied for the implementation of a direct debit instruction are stored for thirteen months from the date of the last claim, in accordance with BACS regulations.

Does your service utilise automated decision making? – No.