Privacy Statement
Last updated:
Your privacy matters to us. This statement explains how Akaba Social UK Ltd handles personal information when you visit our website, contact us or make an initial enquiry about our services or employment opportunities.
Where you receive care or support from us, or proceed with a recruitment application, additional privacy information will explain how we handle the records associated with those activities.
1. Who is responsible for your information?
Akaba Social UK Ltd is the data controller for the personal information covered by this statement. This means we determine why and how that information is used.
For privacy questions or to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details below and mark your message “Privacy enquiry”.
1 Martello Close, 60–62 Dock Road
Grays, Essex, RM17 6FL
Email: info@akaba.org.uk
Telephone: 01375 462626
2. Information we collect
Depending on your interaction with us, we may receive:
- Your name, email address, telephone number and other contact details you provide.
- The contents of your enquiry and our correspondence with you.
- Information you provide about the type of care or support you are seeking.
- Your CV, employment history and other information you choose to provide in an initial recruitment enquiry.
- Technical information recorded through the operation of the website, such as your IP address, browser type, request times and security logs.
- Cookie preferences and information collected by website tools described in our Cookie Policy.
Please avoid sending unnecessary health information or other sensitive personal details through a general enquiry form or initial email. Contact us to discuss an appropriate way to provide information needed for an assessment or referral.
3. How we obtain information
We receive information directly from you when you contact us through the website, by telephone, by email or by post. Technical information may also be collected automatically when your browser communicates with our website.
If someone contacts us on your behalf, we may receive your contact details and information about the enquiry from them. Where required, we will explain the source and use of that information when we first contact you or within the applicable legal time limit.
If you provide information about another person, please ensure you have appropriate authority or another lawful basis to do so.
4. Why we use information and our lawful bases
Data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for using personal information. The basis depends on the purpose and circumstances of the processing.
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to general enquiries and communicating with you. | Legitimate interests in handling enquiries and administering our organisation. |
| Taking steps at your request before entering into a service agreement with you. | Steps necessary before entering into a contract. Where you are not the prospective contracting party, an appropriate alternative basis is required. |
| Considering an initial job application you submit. | Steps at your request before entering into an employment contract. |
| Maintaining website security, diagnosing technical faults and preventing misuse. | Legitimate interests in maintaining a secure and reliable website. |
| Meeting applicable legal requirements or responding to legally required requests. | Compliance with a legal obligation. |
| Activities for which we specifically request your consent, including relevant optional website tools. | Consent, where this is the appropriate basis. You may withdraw it at any time. |
When relying on legitimate interests, we consider the impact on your rights and interests and use information only where those interests are not overridden by your rights.
Browsing our website does not, by itself, give consent to marketing or optional tracking.
5. Health and other sensitive information
Health information and certain other types of personal information receive additional protection under data protection law.
If an enquiry requires us to use this information, we must identify both a lawful basis and an applicable condition for processing sensitive information. We will explain the relevant condition in the privacy information provided for the assessment, referral or care activity.
Please contact us before sending detailed medical records through the website.
6. Who receives your information?
Relevant information may be accessed by authorised members of our team who need it to handle your enquiry or application.
Website and communication service providers may process information on our behalf. Other recipients may include professional advisers or public authorities where sharing is necessary and lawful.
Our website and communication providers: [Insert the names or specific categories of your actual hosting, email, form, security, analytics and other relevant providers. Remove categories that do not apply.]
Separate care and recruitment privacy information will explain any additional sharing relevant to those activities.
7. International transfers
[Confirm whether your hosting, email, website plugins and other providers transfer or allow access to personal information outside the UK.]
[If transfers occur, identify the relevant countries or arrangements and the applicable UK adequacy regulations or other safeguards. Explain how individuals can obtain information about, or a copy of, those safeguards. If no restricted transfers occur, replace these paragraphs with an accurate statement to that effect.]
8. How long we keep information
We retain personal information for the period needed for the purpose for which it was collected, taking account of relevant legal requirements and any ongoing complaint or dispute.
| Information | Retention period or criteria |
|---|---|
| General enquiries and correspondence | [Insert your retention period and when it starts, or your specific criteria for deciding it.] |
| Unsuccessful initial recruitment enquiries | [Insert your recruitment retention period and any separate arrangements for keeping CVs for future roles.] |
| Website security and technical logs | [Insert the retention period used by your actual website and hosting providers.] |
| Cookies and similar technologies | As specified for each relevant technology in our Cookie Policy. |
Information that becomes part of a care or employment record will be subject to the retention arrangements explained in the relevant additional privacy notice.
9. Keeping information secure
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration or disclosure.
No internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If you need to provide sensitive information, please contact us to discuss a suitable method.
10. Cookies and website tools
Our Cookie Policy explains the cookies and similar technologies used on this website, their purposes, duration and available controls.
[Confirm the actual analytics, embedded maps, videos, chat tools and other third-party features in use. Ensure the Cookie Policy and consent controls accurately reflect their behaviour.]
Where consent is legally required for a website technology, it must be obtained before that technology is used.
11. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may have the right to:
- Access your personal information and obtain a copy.
- Have inaccurate information corrected.
- Request deletion of your information.
- Request restrictions on how information is used.
- Receive certain information in a portable format and, where applicable, have it transferred to another organisation.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of earlier processing.
These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions. To make a request, email info@akaba.org.uk. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
Your right to object
You may object to processing based on legitimate interests on grounds relating to your particular situation. You also have the right to object to the use of your information for direct marketing at any time.
12. Whether you need to provide information
You can generally browse the public website without providing your name or contact details.
If you make an enquiry, we need sufficient information to understand it and respond. If you do not provide the necessary details, we may be unable to respond, consider an application or progress a request.
Where particular information is required by law or for a proposed contract, we will explain this at the relevant stage.
13. Automated decisions
[Confirm whether any decisions with legal or similarly significant effects are made solely by automated means. If none are used, state this clearly. If they are used, explain the information involved, how the decision works, its likely effects and the available safeguards and rights.]
14. Privacy concerns and complaints
If you have a concern about how we handle personal information, please contact us at info@akaba.org.uk or call 01375 462626.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator.
Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
15. Changes to this statement
We may update this statement when our practices or legal requirements change. The latest version will appear on this page with its updated date.
Where required, we will bring significant changes to your attention through an appropriate method.