Enforcement

Why we collect information about you?

From 6th April 2014, we can instruct enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs) to collect outstanding Council Tax from you, if a liability order has been issued by the Magistrates Court in your name and you have not arranged payment, or have defaulted on a payment arrangement, or the Council are unable to make deductions from your earnings or benefits.

We collect your personal data in order to recover outstanding Council Tax and will share relevant information with enforcement agents.

What information do we collect about you?

Where a Liability Order has been made and Council Tax remains outstanding, you are legally obliged, when requested, to provide the following information to the Council; name and address of your employer, expected earnings, source of income ie benefits.

We will already hold your name and address, but for enforcement purposes we will also collect your contact telephone number(s) and email address.  If your account is passed to Enforcement Agents for collection, they will make every attempt to contact you in relation to your outstanding debt, such as sending letters, sending an email, telephoning or sending a text message.   This is known as the compliance stage and enforcement agents do not visit your property during this stage.

Enforcement agents may also collect further information such as date of birth and national insurance number for proof of identity, vehicle registration numbers, banking details, record telephone calls and photographic images from body worn cameras.

Who do we share the information with?

We will this information with our contracted enforcement agents, Bristow and Sutor and Rossendales

Is any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the European Economic Area?

No information is transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA.

How long do we keep your information?

Council Tax information is held in line with the retention policy (pdf, 231 KB) from 1st April 1993 as banding reductions can be backdated to this date.

Who do we collect information from?

We collect information from the following sources;

  • Occupiers

  • Landlords and managing agents

  • Other local authorities

  • Credit Agencies

  • Other departments within Tewkesbury Borough Council

  • Land Registry

  • Probate Office

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

Council Tax will not be collected efficiently and as legally required.

Are any decision about you made by automatic means?

All liability is calculated by computer software designed to handle the administration of Council Tax.

The decision to instruct enforcement agents is made by a Revenues Officer taking into account your known circumstances and outstanding balance due.

Last updated: 03 May 2018 (BK)

Discretionary housing payments

Discretionary housing payments

Home > How we use your information > Council tax and benefits privacy data > Discretionary housing payments

Why we collect information about you?

We collect your personal data in order to assess your discretionary housing payment application.  We will only collect the personal data from you we need in order to make this assessment and provide this service to you.

We collect personal information such as but not limited to national insurance number, date of birth, contact details etc. This will have already been collected when making a claim for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction.

  • In order to check your eligibility to a DHP further personal information and expenditure details may be requested such as bank statements and personal receipts.
  • We collect personal information for the prevention and detection of fraud.
  • All data captured may be subject to audit reviews.

What information do we collect about you?

We may collect the following information in both paper form and electronic format. This list is not exhaustive and we may obtain other information that we require to assess your DHP correctly:

  • Proof of income and capital for yourself and your household.
  • Proof of expenditure for your household.
  • Proof of your rental laibility

Who do we share the information with?

We may give information to third parties to check the accuracy of information, to prevent or detect crime or to protect public funds where the law allows it.  These third parties include:

  • Department of Work and Pensions
  • Other local authorities and government departments
  • HM Revenues & Customs
  • Support workers

We may also share information with bodies that are responsible for auditing or administering public funds.

Is any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the European Economic Area?

No information is transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA.

How long do we keep your information?

DHP Information is stored in conjunction with any housing benefit claim for the duration of a claim or  longer due to an outstanding overpayment that is being recovered or in the process of recovery action.

Who do we collect information from?

We may get information from third parties including:

  • The Department for Works and Pensions.
  • HM Revenue & Customs
  • Housing

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

Without your information we are unable to make a correct assessment of your DHP application and therefore are unable to pay you.

Are any decision about you made by automatic means?

  • All claims are calculated by computer software designed to handle Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and DHP.
  • Selected housing associations automatically upload their rents.

Last updated: 20 April 2018 (BK)

Business rates

Why we collect information about you?

  • To ensure that your Business Rates are calculated correctly.
  • To ensure business rates are collected promptly and to take enforcement action in accordance with statutory legislation.
  • To maintain accurate records of your organisation's name and contact details.

What information do we collect about you?

We collect the following information in both paper form and electronic format this list is not exhaustive and we may obtain other information that we require for business rates purposes:

  • Proof of your identity such as but not limited to name and address
  • Bank details for direct debits
  • Business details such as company name or registered office

For certain reliefs such as mandatory and discretionary rate relief, we may ask you to provide further supporting documents such as company accounts or proof of charitable status.  The information provided by you is collected purely for assessing your application for relief. 

Who do we share the information with?

We share your information with the following people/organisations:

  • Enforcement agents
  • National Audit Office
  • The Cabinet Office
  • The Police
  • Other local authorities
  • Any other interested departments with TBC
  • The Valuation Office Agency

Is any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the European Economic Area?

No information is transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA.

How long do we keep your information?

Business rate information must be held for as long as appeals may be backdated by the valuation office agency. We will also hold your information whilst a balance to be paid remains outstanding.

Who do we collect information from?

We collect information from the following sources:

  • Occupiers
  • Builders
  • Landlord including managing agents
  • Other local authorities
  • Other departments with Tewkesbury Borough Council
  • Valuation Office Agency
  • Credit agencies
  • Land Registry
  • Companies House

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

Business rates will not be charged or collected correctly which we are legally required to do as per legislation set by central government.

Are any decision about you made by automatic means?

All rates are calculated by computer software designed to handle the administration of business rates.

Last updated: 21 March 2018 (BK)

Council tax

Why we collect information about you?

We collect your personal data in order to assess and process council tax.

We do this as a legal obligation in line with the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992.

What information do we collect about you?

We collect the following information in both paper form and electronic format this list is not exhaustive and we may obtain other information that we require for Council Tax and enforcement purposes:

  • Proof of your identity such as but not limited to name, address
  • Adult occupancy of address
  • Bank details for direct debits
  • Dates of occupation and when a property is vacant

For certain discounts we collect the following information:

  • Medical information
  • Benefit entitlement
  • Student status

Who do we share the information with?

We may disclose information to third parties where it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation.  Councils are required by law to protect the public funds they administer.  We may use any of the information provided for the prevention and detection of fraud.  We may also share information with other bodies that are responsible for auditing or administering public funds, including the Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office requires councils to participate in data matching exercises to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud.

We may share your information with the following people/organisations:

  • Enforcement agents
  • National Audit Office
  • The Cabinet Office
  • The Police
  • Other local authorities
  • Any other interested departments with TBC
  • The Valuation Office Agency

Is any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the European Economic Area?

No information is transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA.

How long do we keep your information?

We will keep all records relating to council tax from 31March 1993.

Who do we collect information from?

We collect information from the following sources:

  • Occupiers
  • Builders
  • Landlord including managing agents
  • Other local authorities
  • Other departments with Tewkesbury Borough Council
  • Valuation Office Agency
  • Credit agencies
  • Land registry

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

Council Tax will not be charged or collected correctly which we are legally required to do as per legislation set by central government.

Are any decision about you made by automatic means?

All liability is calculated by computer software designed to handle the administration of Council Tax.

Last updated: 21 March 2018 (BK)

Housing benefit and council tax reduction

Housing benefit and council tax reduction

Home > How we use your information > Council tax and benefits privacy data > Housing benefit and council tax reduction

Why we collect information about you?

We collect your personal data in order to assess your application for housing benefit or council tax reduction.  We will only collect the personal data we need in order to make this assessment and provide this service to you.

What information do we collect about you?

We collect the following information in both paper form and electronic format.  This list is not exhaustive and we may obtain other information that we may require to assess your benefits correctly:

  • Proof of your identity such as but not limited to name, address, date of birth and national insurance number
  • Proof of income, capital for yourself and your household
  • Proof of bank details and accounts
  • Proof of rental liability
  • Proof of child care cost

Who do we share the information with?

We may share your information with the following people/organisations

  • Landlords
  • Support workers
  • The Department for Work and pensions
  • HM Revenue & Customs
  • National Audit Office
  • The Cabinet Office
  • The police
  • Other local authorities
  • Any other interested departments with TBC
  • The Valuation Office Agency

We may also share information with bodies that are responsible for auditing or administering public funds, including the Cabinet Office.  The Cabinet Office requires councils to participate in data matching exercises to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. 

Is any information transferred to or stored on servers based outside the European Economic Area?

No information is transferred to or stored on servers based outside the EEA.

How long do we keep your information?

Information is stored for the duration of a claim or where applicable longer due to an outstanding overpayment that is being recovered or in the process of recovery action.

Who do we collect information from?

We collect information from the following sources:

  • The department for works and pensions
  • HM Revenue & Customs
  • The Cabinet Office
  • Landlord including managing agents
  • The customer
  • Other local authorities
  • Other departments within Tewkesbury Borough Council

What are the consequences if we do not collect the data?

Without your information we are unable to make a correct assessment of your benefit entitlement and therefore unable to pay you.

Are any decision about you made by automatic means?

  • All claims are calculated by computer software designed to handle Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.
  • Certain information is provided and processed automatically by the Department for Work and Pensions.
  • Selected housing associations automatically download their rents.

Last updated: 21 March 2018 (BK)