Link Housing - Advice Services - Money Advice

Link’s Advice Service provides a range of services including debt and money advice and support to Link tenants and sharing owners. 

 info This notice was reviewed and updated on 29 August 2023

Services are free, impartial and confidential and include help with managing debt, help to access debt solutions and assistance to improve understanding of financial products such as affordable credit and bank and credit union accounts. Services are offered to minimise the impacts of welfare reforms, combat poverty and promote tenancy sustainment.

What data we need

To allow us to provide the service you would expect from us, we process the following information about you:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Telephone number(s)
  • National Insurance number
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
  • Health information relevant to debt and money advice provision
  • Ethnicity
  • Bank account details
  • Sexual orientation
  • Religion
  • Alternative contacts
  • Dependant(s) name and date of birth
  • Partner name, date of birth, NI number, marital status, ethnicity, economic status, gender, marital status, date of death

Why we need it

We need your information and will use your information:

  • to enable us to supply you with the services and information which you have requested or expect from us
  • to provide you with advice and information about debt solutions available to you
  • assist you to access your chosen debt solution
  • to assess your ability to repay your debts
  • to liaise and negotiate with your creditors to agree an appropriate repayment arrangement
  • to assess your entitlement to social security benefits and tax credits, charitable grants, Scottish Welfare Fund and other non statutory benefits including food banks and refer you for assistance to make relevant claims
  • to demonstrate our compliance with our Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers accreditation
  • to analyse what we collect so that we can administer, support and improve  our business and the services we offer
  • to contact you in order to send you details of any changes to debt legislation which may affect you
  • for all other purposes consistent with the proper performance of our operations and business
  • to contact you for your views on our services.

Where we store your data

Your data is stored electronically on Advice Pro case management system.

How long we keep your information

We review our data retention periods regularly and will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as required by law (we may be legally required to hold some types of information), or as set out in any relevant contract we have with you.

We will generally keep your information for the following minimum periods after which this will be destroyed if it is no longer required for the reasons it was obtained.

All personal and sensitive data processed by the Money Advice team will be retained for five years before being confidentially destroyed.

Our full retention schedule is available here.

What is the legal justification

The Money Advice Service receives referrals from Link Housing and process all data based on the consent of the customer.

Sharing your information

The information you provide to us will be treated by us as confidential.

We may disclose your information to third parties who act for us for the purposes set out in this notice or for purposes approved by you, including the following:

  • ACM Solutions who provide the Advice Pro case management system 

Receiving data about you

We may receive the following information from third parties:

  • Information from creditors in relation to your debts
  • Information from the Accountant in Bankruptcy in relation to your application for bankruptcy

Updating your information

If your details change please contact Customer Service Centre 03451 400 100 to inform us to ensure that all of the information we hold about you is up to date.

Data Protection Officer

You can contact our Data Protection Officer at datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.uk or by post to Link House, 2c New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 14L. 

Your rights

Your right of access

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. 

Your right to rectification

You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. 

Your right to erasure

You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to restriction of processing

You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to object to processing

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances .

Your right to data portability

You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.  

Please contact us at datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.uk if you wish to make a request.  

How to complain 

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at Link House, 2c New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 1RL or by email at   datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.uk    

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.  

The ICO’s address:              

Information Commissioner’s Office 

Wycliffe House 

Water Lane 

Wilmslow 

Cheshire 

SK9 5AF 

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113  

ICO website:  https://www.ico.org.uk  

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