Discretionary Assistance Fund: privacy notice

NEC Software Solutions (NEC), on behalf of Welsh Government, receives personal information on an applicant directly from the client or from an individual with permission to act on the client’s behalf. Without this information the application cannot be processed. It consists of the following:

• name
• address
• National Insurance Number
• date of Birth
• DWP Benefit information
• health issues
• information on any dependents living in the household

• technical data includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access our website

The Welsh Government is the data controller and NEC the data processor.

Legal powers

Government of Wales Act 2006 (GOWA), Section 60 permits the Welsh Ministers to do anything they consider appropriate to achieve the object of promoting or improving the economic, social or environmental well-being of Wales. Section 70 of GOWA enables the Welsh Ministers to give financial assistance, by way of grant, loan or guarantee, to any person engaged in any activity which the Welsh Ministers consider will secure, or help to secure, the attainment of any objective which they aim to attain in the exercise of any of their functions. Section 71 of GOWA empowers the Welsh Ministers may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of any of their functions.

Lawful basis

Under Article 6 – Processing is necessary (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.

Under Article 9 (2) (g) - Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject.

In our remit as the data controller, the Welsh Government uses the information received for the below purposes. These purposes are necessary so as to enable us to carry out our public tasks and in the exercise of our official authority:

• to determine eligibility for financial assistance
• to assess if there is a need for financial assistance to be granted to the client
• if need is determined, to also determine the level of financial assistance that will be granted to the client
• to pass details about the client, including name and address, and the award that has been granted onto the third parties as stated below to fulfil the award
• to pass details to other agencies that are well placed to provide additional support to the applicant for example Citizens Advice Rhondda Cynon Taff, Carmarthenshire Citizens Advice, Pennysmart and Groundwork
• statistical and research purposes – all data will be anonymised
  • to inform, influence and improve the service provided
  • to monitor and target funding effectively
  • to monitor the performance of the Discretionary Assistance Fund
  • to link with other Welsh Government policy areas
• publications (infographic) - all data will be anonymised
  • requests from external organisations published on Welsh Government
    website

Information held on behalf of the Welsh Government about you and your application will be shared with organisations working on behalf of the Welsh Government to fulfill your application. These are:

• NEC Software Solutions
• Family Fund Business Services
• The Furniture Service (TFS)
• PayPoint agents
• AO Retail Limited
• Park Group (clothing vouchers)
• Police in the event of suspected fraud

Welsh Government will keep this data for a maximum of 7 years after the end of the financial year to which it relates to as per audit requirements. After this point your data will be anonymised and may be used in case studies and/or destroyed.

You have the right to:

• access the personal data that we are processing about you
• require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• the right to object to processing - in certain circumstances – to withdraw your application before it has been processed and a decision has been made to award or refuse
• the right for your data to be ‘erased’ – in certain circumstances
• lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection (contact details below)

For further information about the information which Welsh Government holds and its use, or if you wish to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please see contact details below:

Financial Inclusion Team
Welsh Government
Rhydycar Business Park
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1UZ

Email: financialinclusion@gov.wales

Helen Morris
Data Protection Officer
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: data.protectionofficer@gov.wales

Rachel Goodman
Data Protection Officer
NEC Software Solutions
BizSpace
1st Floor
iMex Centre
575-599 Maxted Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 7DX

Email: dpo@necsws.com

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.gov.uk