Clear Answers. Real Help.

Local Support.

Trusted Help for Life, Work & Business.

We’re a not-for-profit organisation proudly serving the residents, business owners, and sole traders of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.

Our team of trained, experienced consultants are here to provide trusted information, practical advice, and clear guidance — all delivered with the highest standards of care and professionalism.

While we don’t offer legal or medical advice ourselves, we’ll always point you in the right direction — and when possible, refer you directly to the best agency, department, or specialist to help you efficiently and effectively.

Whether it’s personal, professional or financial, we’re here to help.

Confidentiality Policy

Last updated: 12 June 2025

At Blackpool Advice ("we", "our", "us"), confidentiality is fundamental to the trust our clients place in us. This Policy sets out how we protect and disclose information obtained during the course of providing advice, casework, grant‑administration and related services on our website https://www.blackpooladvice.org.uk (the "Site") and in person at Citizens Information & Advice Bureau, 27 St Anne’s Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY4 2AP (collectively, the "Services").

This Policy applies to all trustees, employees, volunteers, contractors and placement students (together "team members").

Failure to follow it may lead to disciplinary action.

1. Our Confidentiality Commitment

We will not disclose any information you share with us — verbally, in writing or electronically — to anyone outside Blackpool Advice without your explicit consent, except in the limited circumstances listed in Section 5.

We use the minimum‑necessary principle: team members only access data required for their role.

All team members sign a Confidentiality & Data‑Protection Agreement and receive annual training.

2. Information Covered by This Policy

Personal & Contact - DataName, address, phone, email, date of birth, National Insurance number

Advice & Case Notes - Benefit decisions, debt details, landlord letters, tribunal bundles

Business Information - Turnover, employee numbers, grant applications, bank details

Special Category Data - Health, disability, ethnicity, trade‑union membership you volunteerTechnical Records

Case‑management - access logs, call recordings, encrypted chat transcriptsAll of the above are treated as confidential, whether or not they constitute “personal data” under UK GDPR.

3. How We Keep Information Confidential

Physical security

– locked filing cabinets, key‑controlled offices and a clean‑desk rule.

Digital security

– encrypted servers (AES‑256), TLS‑secured email, MFA log‑in, automatic screen‑lock.

Access controls

– role‑based permissions in our case‑management system; regular access audits.

Training & awareness

– mandatory induction plus yearly refreshers on confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection.

Secure disposal

– cross‑cut shredding for paper, certified wiping for electronic media.

Privacy‑by‑design

– new projects undergo a Data‑Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) that includes confidentiality risks.

4. Client Consent to Share Information

We will only share your information with third parties (e.g. DWP, local authority, funders, utility suppliers) when all three of these conditions are met:

Purpose explained

– why sharing is helpful to progress your case or secure funding;

Informed, explicit consent

– written or recorded verbal agreement; and

Proportionate scope

– only the details strictly needed are disclosed.

You may withdraw consent at any time; see Section 7.

5. Limits to Confidentiality

We may have to disclose information without consent when required by law or where overriding public‑interest considerations apply, including:

Circumstance Example - Imminent risk of serious harm

Threat of suicide or violence to others, safeguarding a child or vulnerable adult

Court order or warrant

Production order compelling release of documents

Money‑laundering or terrorist‑financing suspicion

We must submit a Suspicious Activity Report under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Serious crime prevention

Information requested by police about serious fraud

Statutory audit or regulator

Charity Commission or funder audit demanding case evidence

If feasible, we will inform you before disclosure unless doing so would increase risk or we are legally prohibited.

6. Confidentiality and Team Members

Team members must not discuss client matters in public or semi‑public areas (e.g. reception, public transport).

Personal devices must not store client data unless encrypted and authorised.

Case discussions for training must anonymise clients.

Breaches must be reported immediately to the Data Protection Lead in accordance with our Incident Response Procedure.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Receive an explanation

of how we keep your information confidential;

Access your records

(subject‑access request);

Request corrections

of inaccurate notes;

Withdraw consent

for future disclosures;

Complain

if you believe confidentiality has been breached (see

Section 9).

8. Data Breaches

A confidentiality or data‑protection breach includes unauthorised access, disclosure, loss or destruction of client information.

We will:

Contain the breach and assess impact within 24 hours;

Notify the ICO within 72 hours if the breach is reportable;

Inform affected individuals promptly with advice on mitigation;

Review procedures to prevent recurrence.

9. Complaints & Contact Details

If you are concerned about confidentiality:

Data Protection Lead

Blackpool Advice

27 St Anne’s Road

Blackpool,

Lancashire 

FY4 2AP

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01253 123 456

You can escalate to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you remain dissatisfied (www.ico.org.uk).

10. Review Cycle

This Policy is reviewed annually or sooner if regulatory or operational changes require. Amendments are approved by the Board of Trustees and published on the Site with a new "Last updated" date.