Adult Social Care Finance Service privacy notice

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How the Finance Service manages your information

If you live in a care home or supported living, then the council processes your information for financial assessments and payments.

We provide advice and support to clients on all financial matters relating to their care. We pay providers who deliver support to Barnet residents with residential and nursing care homes, supported living, home care, day care and transport.

This includes all residents in residential and nursing care homes that are funded by Deferred Payments. The team gives advice on Deferred Payments, Third Party Top Up and calculation on the value of your home.

We also secure and protect property for Barnet residents that go to hospital, care homes or have passed away, who have no one able or willing to do this for them.  

We manage financial affairs for residents that lack capacity and do not have anyone able or willing to do this for them, dealing with all the matters relating to the remit of Court of Protection and the Department of Work and Pensions.

We handle parish funerals (also known as public health funerals), where there is no one able or willing to arrange and pay for the funeral of a deceased person.

Who we share your information with

We work with nearly all the teams in Adult Social Care such as the Locality Teams, Learning Disabilities Team, Hospital Teams, Brokerage Team, Central Finance, Senior Management Team and Social Care Direct. 

  • environmental services like recycling and waste for hoarding or assisted refuse collections
  • finance for Council Tax and Benefits
  • the police and fire service
  • health agencies or GP
  • legal representatives
  • professional regulatory bodies
  • council legal service
  • other local authorities
  • Voluntary agencies and third sector
  • housing providers like Barnet Homes, including to help them understand your needs
  • care homes or residential facilities

We also work closely with service users, families, and financial representatives. As well as care providers and Court of Protection and the Department of Work and Pensions.

The National Data Opt-Out

The National Data Opt-Out was introduced on 25 May 2018, to allow you to ‘opt out’ from the use of your data for anything other than your individual care and treatment, preventing it being used for research or planning purposes as listed above. The Opt-Out is in line with the recommendations of the National Data Guardian in her Review of Data Security, Consent and Opt-Outs. 

The National Data Opt-Out applies to the NHS and some of the activities of the council. If you are happy with use of your data for research and service planning, you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.

Health agencies and councils must check the NHS National Data Opt-Out system before using your data for research or planning. 

You can change your national data opt-out choice at any time by using the online NHS service or by selecting "Your Health" in the NHS App, and selecting "Choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning".

Legislation that applies

  • The Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • Care Act 2014 (Encourages caregivers to adopt a person-centred approach with vulnerable Safeguarding adults)
  • Health and Safety Care Act 2012 (Legal duties about health inequalities)
  • Health Act 2009 Chapter 3 (Direct Payments - the electronic transfer of funds to make payments)
  • Local Safeguarding Children and Adults Boards Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/90)
  • Social Security Administration Act 1992 (the main piece of legislation dealing with the administration of social security benefits)

How long we keep your information

In most circumstances, we retain your information for 10 years. If your support or service is assessed as Adult Protection (Safeguarding), we retain your information for 10 years from last contact or 10 years from date of death.  

  • for clients receiving support from the Mental Health Service, we retain your information for 20 years from last contact or 10 years from date of death
  • if you have made a complaint, sent us a compliment, or made representation, we retain your information for 10 years from last contact or 10 years from date of death 
  • for services involving financial assessments and invoicing, we retain your documentation for 10 years from last contact or 10 years from date of death
  • for Deputyship, Property and Protection, we retain your data for 10 years from last contact, a zero balance, or date of death