Privacy Policy

Who is collecting my data?

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) helps to drive growth, enrich lives and promote Britain abroad.

DCMS protects and promotes our cultural and artistic heritage and helps businesses and communities to grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit. We help to give the UK a unique advantage on the global stage, striving for economic success.

DCMS are instructing the Neighbourly Lab (NL) and their host organisation the Campaign to End Loneliness at Sheffield Hallam University (CtEL/SHU) to process data on our behalf as the delivery provider for the Tackling Loneliness Hub.

The Campaign to End Loneliness at Sheffield Hallam University is an independent collaborating centre that develops and shares robust and accessible wellbeing evidence to improve decision making. Their vision is of a future where the wellbeing of people and communities improves year on year and wellbeing inequalities are reduced.

Neighbourly Lab believes that people of all ages need connections that matter. They have been experts in the field of loneliness and connection since 2011 and their vision is that everyone can live a life free from chronic loneliness.

Purpose of this privacy notice

This notice sets out how the Neighbourly Lab (NL) will process your personal data, on behalf of DCMS, as part of our legal obligations with regard to data protection.

DCMS’s personal information charter explains how NL deals with your information. It also explains how you can ask to view, change or remove your information from our records.

The Tackling Loneliness website is to provide information on tackling loneliness and the Hub is a place for:

• Connecting with others working to reduce loneliness
• Share the latest research and insight on what works
• Collaborate on new initiatives

What personal data does Neighbourly Lab collect?

The personal information NL collects and processes is provided to us directly by you or collected on an automated basis, as explained below.

For all website users, including non-members of the Tackling Loneliness Hub, we collect information on how you use this website, including automatically generated analytical cookies of how you use this website (see the cookie policy for further details).

If you do register to be a member of the Tackling Loneliness Hub, the additional data we collect includes:

• Personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (name, email address, the organisation you work for and your role in it).
• Any personal data included in posts, comments or messages sent via the site.
• If you consent, we will also hold a photograph of yourself.
• Information you provide if you register to attend a Hub workshop or event, such as accessibility requirements.

We may also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources in the following scenarios:

• If you attend an online, or in-person event and supply your personal information to our Community Manager, or another staff member at DCMS, CtEL/SHU, or NL for the purpose of finding out about, or joining the Hub.
• If you email or contact our Community Manager, or another staff member at DCMS, CtEL/SHU, or NL for the purpose of finding out about, or joining the Hub.
• If a Hub member sends you an email invite from the Hub. In this instance, we will only use the information to confirm whether you received the invite, and if you are able to join. If you do not activate your Hub membership, your personal data will be deleted from our database after one month.

How will The Campaign to End Loneliness use your data?

We use this personal information, to enable you to log into, and use the Hub securely.

If you post anything on our site and you have provided a photograph of yourself, it will show next to your post. The platform remembers settings, so you don’t have to keep re-entering them whenever you visit a new page e.g., your details when commenting on posts.

Legal basis for processing your data

Our legal basis for processing any personal data is set out in Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR as the processing is necessary for us in our work as a public body and in the public interest. In particular, the processing is necessary for the exercise of our function as the government department delivering the Tackling Loneliness strategy as permitted under section 8(d) of the DPA 2018.

What will happen if I do not provide this data?

Registration to the Tackling Loneliness Hub is completely voluntary. If you do not provide your name, email address, and organisation, you will not be able to create an account and access the online community of practice.

Who will your data be shared with?

For the purpose of delivering the Tackling Loneliness Hub, NL will share your data with DCMS and SU. A limited number of staff from these organisations manage the running of the Hub, and support Hub members. When we share your data with these organisations, we will ensure there are proper controls in place. We will not make your personal data available for commercial use.

How long will my data be held for?

Your personal data will be retained for the duration of time that NL delivers the Tackling Loneliness Hub. During that time, if you make a request for your account to be deleted, we will do so within one month, in line with DCMS retention policy. It is necessary for archiving, research, or statistical purposes – so long as certain conditions are met, namely that the information is:

• stored in a secure environment
• anonymised
• not used for any other purpose

Will my data be used for automated decision making or profiling?

The information you provide through the Tackling loneliness website and hub will not be used for automated decision making or profiling.

Will my data be transferred outside the UK and if it is how will it be protected?

CEL does not intend to share your data overseas. If we need to do so, we will make sure we have the right controls in place to protect the data.

What are your data protection rights?

You have rights over your personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the supervisory authority for data protection legislation, and maintains a full explanation of these rights on their website.

DCMS will ensure that we uphold your rights when processing your personal data.

How do I complain?

The contact details for the data controller’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) are:

Data Protection Officer
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
100 Parliament Street
London
SW1A 2BQ

Email: DCMSdataprotection@dcms.gov.uk

If you’re unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data and want to make a complaint, please write to the department’s Data Protection Officer or the Data Protection Manager at the relevant agency. You can contact the department’s Data Protection Officer using the details above.

How to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you believe that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. You may also contact them to seek independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing.

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

Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

Changes to our privacy notice

Changes may be made to this Privacy Notice. In that case, the ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. Any changes to this notice will apply to you and your data immediately. If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, DCMS will take reasonable steps to let you know. For further information please see DCMS personal information charter.

This notice was last updated on 28 August 2024.