Free School Meals - privacy notice

Personal information being processed and what for

We hold the following information from your application:

  • Full name and title
  • Current address
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • National Insurance Number (NINO)
  • Child(ren)’s name
  • Child(ren)’s school or education setting
  • Details of your income
  • Contact details you have provided including telephone numbers, Email addresses used for contact about your application to ask for more information, update you on progress and for sending the decision to you

All processed for the determination of Free School Meals applications.

Why we are allowed to use your information

This information is required for making decisions on your Free School Meals claim.

Relevant legislation

  • Education Act 1996 (section 512)

Who we share your information with

We will share your information with:

  • Department for Education
  • Your child(ren)’s school or education setting for confirmation of eligibility

Where we get your information from

  • You or someone acting on your behalf
  • Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support records if consent is received

  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • Schools

How long we will keep your personal information

For the entirety of your child’s education, if you have more than one child, the information will be kept until your youngest child leaves education.

See the Council’s Information Asset Register on the web site for more information

How your information is stored

We store your information on the following systems:

  • Synergy Servelec system. This system has security controls with individual logins, password protected (with minimum security levels), with the data held on secure servers
  • Secure Emails using Egress Switch (secure encryption)

What happens if you don’t provide us with your information

We would be unable to process your application or will make a determination which will mean you will not be eligible for Free School Meals

If you don’t provide us with your information

We would be unable to process your application or will make a determination which will mean you will not be eligible for Free School Meals

Information used to make automated decisions

Yes.

When applications are being processed there is a direct link to  DWP data to confirm if entitlement criteria is met. This is to ensure accurate decisions using current data and to assist with more efficient decision making.

There is no profiling.

Will this information be transferred abroad

No

Your rights

You have a number of rights regarding your personal data, including withdrawing your consent where we have asked for it. You can also ask for a copy of the information we hold about you and ask us to correct anything that is wrong.  

For detailed information about your rights please see our privacy notice.

Page last reviewed: 27 July 2022