Ukrainian Sponsors

Data Controller – Somerset Council – ICO Registration Z5957592

Data Protection Officer Contact – informationgovernance@somerset.gov.uk

Purposes for processing

Somerset Council will receive, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, details of Somerset residents who have applied to become a sponsor through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The data received will be used to conduct suitability checks and for the administration of payments associated with the scheme. The Council will undertake the following checks:

• Pre-arrival and post-arrival checks
• Accommodation checks
• Address validation checks
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
• Any other checks required by to assess your suitability as a host.

In addition to the checks above the Council will also:

• Provide support to Ukrainian guests (for example safeguarding, assistance in accessing public services, assistance in accessing education, employment and training)
• Administer funds associated with the scheme (for example cash allowances for guests, ‘thank you’ payment scheme)
• Assist with re-matching and move-on accommodation if required.

Legal basis for processing

We rely on the following provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) as the lawful bases for processing your personal data:

• 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.
• Data Protection Act 2018, Part 2, Chapter 2, Section 8(d) – the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department.

Some checks may require the processing of special category data and criminal convictions data. The lawful bases for such processing are shown below:

• Special category data: General Data Protection Regulation Article 9 2(g) – processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
• Criminal convictions data: Data Protection Act 2018, Section 10(5) and Schedule 1, Part 2, Paragraph 6.

Legislation to which our obligation relates is:

• The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Section 20

Data Sharing

Your data will be shared with the following agencies:

• Adult Social Care
• Children’s Social Care
• Disclosure and Barring Service
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• The Home Office
• Any other agencies as required for, and compatible with, the purpose described above.

Data Security

We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost or misused. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are required to do so. Your data will not be transferred abroad unless you are specifically informed of that intention.

Data Retention

Somerset Council will retain your data for no longer than 2 years after the closure of the scheme unless instructed to do so by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities or the Home Office.

Your Rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) you have a number of rights in relation to the data we hold about you. These include the right to ask for a copy of your data, the right to rectify or erase your personal data, and the right to object to processing. However, these rights are only applicable if the Council has no other legal obligation concerning that data. Further information about your rights and how to exercise them can be found on our website – Your rights on the information we hold about you

You also have the right to complain to the regulator (The Information Commissioner) and details can be found at Make a complaint – ICO