Natcen's privacy notice

Who will have access to my personal data?  

For the purposes of data protection legislation, the CO is the data controller and NatCen is the data processor. This means that the CO decides how the research data will be used, while NatCen is responsible for collecting, managing and analysing the data on its behalf. However, the CO will not have access to all the information collected. For example, under our agreement with the CO, they will not have access to any information that could identify you. NatCen will only hold personal data for the duration of the project and the agreed retention period afterwards.

NatCen will carefully manage your personal data as part of our public task, which is our lawful basis for processing. All the information you provide will be held in strict confidence and held securely. This includes information held with our partners on this project, Criteria, and McGowan.

Both partner companies are vetted by NatCen with signed contracts and agreements already in place. These are revisited and renewed every 12 months. 

The CO will only receive the anonymised conversation data, which will be used for research purposes only. They will not know who has taken part.

How will my information be used?

The data collected will be used for research purposes only.  

NatCen will write a technical report, a summary report, and give a presentation about the main themes and findings that people have talked about. NatCen will not name anyone in any of these outputs, and it will not be possible to identify anyone who took part in the conversations. The technical and summary reports will be published on the gov.uk website.

At no point will anyone in the CO be able to identify you. 

Data retention

All data stored by NatCen is retained for one year upon completion of the study and is then deleted. We expect this study to be completed by December 2026.  

Will I have access to the information I provide in the conversation?  

Yes, you can request access, but once the data has been made anonymous, we will not be able to change the results. However, you may request that your personal data be deleted or updated up until the 15th of October, 2026.  

Who do I contact if I have a query or complaint?  

To contact the research team at NatCen, please email IndependentLivingResearch@natcen.ac.uk or call 0808 281 0309 free of charge.  

If you would like to contact the CO about this research, please email disability- edadcorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.  

If you have any questions about how your data will be used, please contact the NatCen’s Data Protection Officer: 

Data Protection Officer 

NatCen Social Research 
Kings House, 
101-135 Kings Rd, 
Brentwood 
CM14 4LX

Email: dpo@natcen.ac.uk  

Data Protection Officers are responsible for upholding your rights and making sure we process your information correctly.

Under GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.  

Contact Information  

Commissioner’s Office 

Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF.

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

Email: www.ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email

Website: www.ico.org.uk