Privacy notice
Updated: Jan 2024
Next update: Jan 2025
Privacy Notice for Applicants to The Unity Project
At The Unity Project (TUP), we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data responsibly and transparently. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. We do this according to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
You can find our complete Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy and Procedures here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HPcTOXl89mtd55vV_eUyR-wfil1tJS2J4L8LxV5lm0w/edit?usp=sharing
Data Controller
The Data Controller responsible for your personal data is the Director of The Unity Project, Michael Boyle. You can contact the Data Controller via email at michael@unity-project.org.uk.
Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal data under the lawful basis of consent. When you come to us for advice or support, you are giving us consent to collect, store, and process your personal information. We do this so we can:
- Assist you with your legal case
- Monitor and evaluate our services
- Conduct research and policy work
- Engage in campaign activities
- Provide training
Types of Personal Data Collected
As part of our standard applicant casework procedure, we may collect the following types of personal data:
- Identifying information such as your name, contact details, and date of birth
- Special Category data. This includes race and ethnicity, health and medical records, gender identity, sexual orientation, and children’s personal data (if applicable)
- Additional information. This depends on your case, but it could include political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, and information about criminal convictions and offences
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use your personal data so we can provide you with the services you have requested, communicate with you, and fulfil our legal and regulatory duties. We do not share your non-anonymized data with third parties without your express consent.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data for 6 years to fulfil the purposes outlined above.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including:
- Your right of access. You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal data.
- Your right to rectification. You can ask us to correct any personal data you think is inaccurate. You can also ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
- Your right to erasure. You can ask us to erase your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Your right to restriction of processing. You can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Your right to object to processing. You can object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Your right to data portability. You can ask us to transfer the personal data you gave us to another organisation, or to transfer it to you, in certain circumstances.
- Your right to withdraw consent – When we use consent as our lawful basis you can withdraw your consent.
You don’t usually need to pay a fee to exercise your rights. If you make a request, we have one calendar month to respond to you.
Contact michael@unity-project.org.uk if you want to make a data protection rights request.
How to complain
Contact michael@unity-project.org.uk to make a complaint if you have any concerns about our use of your personal data.
If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO.
The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113