Privacy Policy

The United Reformed Church takes your privacy very seriously. We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our website visitors and service users. We have set out how we deal with your personal data, your privacy, and other various rights you have, when you use this website or supply information to us.

This policy applies where we are acting as a data controller with respect to the personal data of our website visitors and service users; in other words, where we determine the purposes and means of the processing of that personal data.

We use cookies on our website. Insofar as those cookies are not strictly necessary for the provision of our website and services, we will ask you to consent to our use of cookies when you first visit our website.

Who is collecting my information?

The United Reformed Church, who are also referred to in this policy as, "we", "us" and "our" is the data controller, who collects your information and determines the way and purpose for which your personal data is processed. The United Reformed Church is responsible for looking after your personal data, in accordance with all relevant UK Privacy Laws. If at any time you have any concerns or questions about your personal data, please do not hesitate to contact The United Reformed Church.

How do I make a complaint?

If you have any concerns, enquiries or complaints about matters affecting your privacy or any other general data protection issue, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us. You can get in touch with us via email or post; our contact details are as follows:

Email: info@urc.org.uk

Postal address

United Reformed Church House
86 Tavistock Place
London
WC1H 9RT

We would like you to know that you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (the ICO), at any time. the ICO is the UK’s independent body set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, to promote openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

You can contact the ICO via their helpline number: 0303 123 1113 (Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm).

What information is being collected?

Your personal data/information may be collected by us. This is any information belonging to you, that can be used to identify you. Personal data can be categorized under different headings, and so we would like you to know what precisely we may collect from you.

Identity data: information such as any name you’re known by, including usernames, your marital status, your title, date of birth and gender.

Contact data: information such as your postal and email address and your telephone numbers

Technical data: information such as your internet protocol (IP) address, your login data, browser type and version, your location and time zone setting, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.

Profile data: information such as your username and password, your feedback and survey responses

Usage data: information about how you use our website, products, and services

Communication data: information about your preferences in receiving material from us and your communication preferences.

Personal data also consists of what is known as Special Category data. These need more protection because they are sensitive. They include details about your race or ethnicity, your religious or philosophical beliefs, your sex life, sexual orientation, your political opinions, trade union membership, information about your health and genetic and biometric data. We do not collect any Special Category data, nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offences.

Still there are occasions where we may receive Special Category data from you, through direct interaction for instance. On such occasions, we may receive information from you about your race or ethnic orientation, your religious or philosophical beliefs, your sex life or sexual orientation or your health.

Processing these types of Special Category data is allowed under Data Protection law, where we have received explicit consent from you and, or, where it is carried out by a religious entity during its legitimate activity.

How is my personal data collected?

We may use different methods to collect your personal data. Please understand that we can only collect your personal data with your consent.

We may collect your personal data through direct interactions with you. We may obtain your identity and contact data, when you complete any of our forms or by you corresponding with us by post, on the telephone, via email or otherwise. Direct interaction with us also occurs when you provide personal data as you

subscribe to any of our publications
request we send you information
enter a competition
reply to a survey
give us some feedback
make use of any of our resources

We may also automatically collect technical data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns, when you interact with our website.

We may also receive your personal data from other bodies within the United Reformed Church, such as your local churches and synods.

How will my personal data be used?

We will only use your personal data in the following circumstances.

Where you consent to us using your personal information. Your consent can be withdrawn at any time you see fit, so long as you inform us.
Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of any third parties), and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.
Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

What is the purpose for which you will use my personal data?

There are various purposes for which we may use your personal data. For a detailed breakdown of these purposes, the type of personal data required and our lawful basis for processing your personal information, please get in contact with us.

What about Change of Purpose?

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If you wish to get an explanation as to how the processing for the new purpose is compatible with the original purpose, please contact us.

If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

Please note that we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent, in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.

Who will my data be shared with?

We may share your personal data with other third parties within the United Reformed Church, for the purpose, for which your data is collected and used.

What security measures are in place to protect my data?

We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered, or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions, and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

How long will you use my personal data for?

We will only retain your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements. We may retain your personal data for a longer period in the event of a complaint or if we reasonably believe there is a prospect of litigation in respect to our relationship with you.

To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Details of retention periods for different aspects of your personal data are available in our retention policy which you can request by contacting us.

What are my legal rights?

Under certain circumstances, you have rights under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR, in relation to your personal data. You have the right to:

Request access to your personal data

Request correction of the personal data that we hold about you.

Request erasure (deletion) of your personal data.

Object to processing of your personal data

Request restriction of processing of your personal data.

Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party.

Withdraw consent at any time

If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, please contact us.

How do I request access to my personal data?

If you would like to access your personal data that we possess, you will need to contact us, to make a Subject Access Request.

Will I be charged a fee?

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive, or excessive. Alternatively, we could refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.

Would I need to provide you with any information?

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

How long will it take?

We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it could take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made several requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.

Changes to this policy and your obligation to inform us of changes

We keep our privacy policy under regular review. This version was last updated on 30 September 2021.

It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with us.