How we use your data for advice

This section covers how we use your data to provide you with advice.

For general advice and nationally funded advice programmes including how long your information is kept for, please see the national Citizens Advice privacy notice.  

How we collect your information

We collect your data for advice via the following methods:

• When you visit our offices and complete a client registration form
• When you telephone us seeking advice
• When you contact us via our website using a contact form
• When you contact us via SMS (text message), Messenger or WhatsApp
• When you are referred to us by another organisation

When you get advice by any of the above methods, our adviser will log all your information, correspondence, and notes about your problem into our secure case management systems. Some of your information might also be kept within our secure email and IT systems.  

When you contact us via our website using a contact form

When you get in touch with us via our website using a contact form, your enquiry is forwarded to a secure email address for the team that is relevant to your enquiry. We then add a copy of your enquiry to our case management system and delete the email. Your contact form enquiry also remains on our secure website server. Enquiries are then deleted from the server at regular intervals. 

When you contact us via SMS (text), Messenger or WhatsApp

We use a cloud-based contact centre called Twilio Flex to manage SMS (text message), Messenger and WhatsApp communications. Data processed by Twilio Flex is stored securely on Twilio servers. Messages are automatically deleted from the Flex platform after 24 hours. Data retained in Message Logs is automatically deleted after thirteen months.

Any data sent through the Messenger and WhatsApp platforms is also processed and stored securely by Facebook, WhatsApp and their parent company, Meta.

WhatsApp messages use end-to-end encryption. Messages are deleted automatically from the WhatsApp server after 30 days and only retained on the device they are sent or received from.

Messenger messages are not deleted automatically by Facebook. We delete messages in our inbox monthly.

We store records of all SMS, Messenger and WhatsApp conversations on our secure case management system.

When you are referred to us by another organisation

We use a system called Refernet if we need to refer you to another organisation or if another organisation refers you to us.

If you’re referred through Refernet, your information will be stored securely on the Refernet system. We keep your information on Refernet for a year from the date you’re referred. After a year, your information is deleted from the Refernet system. However, personal data extracted from Refernet may be kept for longer by any given partner organisation in accordance with data protection law.

We also accept referrals from other organisations by email. If you are referred to us by email, a copy of the referral is added to our secure case management system. We then delete the email once the referral has been dealt with/completed.  

Referrals from external organisations can also be made directly through a referral form on our website and are processed in the same way as the contact forms on our website as described above. 

What information we collect

We’ll only ask for information that’s relevant. Depending on what you want help with, this might include:

• your name and contact details – so we can keep in touch with you about your case
• personal information – for example about family, work, or financial circumstances, or if you’re vulnerable or at risk of harm
• details about services you get that are causing you problems – like energy or post
• details of items or services you’ve bought and traders you’ve dealt with
• information like your gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

To find out more about what information we collect, please see our national Citizens Advice privacy notice.

What we use your information for

The main reason we ask for your information is to provide you with information and advice to help solve your problem. 

We also use your information:

• for training and quality purposes
• to investigate complaints
• to help us improve our services
• to defend legal claims
• to help ensure our service is accessible to you

To find out more about how we use your information, see please our national Citizens Advice privacy notice.

Our confidentiality policy

At Citizens Advice we have a confidentiality policy which states that anything you tell us as part of advice will not be shared outside of the Citizens Advice network unless you provide your permission for us to do so.

There are some exceptions to this such as needing to share:

• to prevent an immediate risk of harm to an individual
• In select circumstances if it is in the best interests of the client
• where we are compelled to do so by law (e.g. a court order or meeting statutory disclosures)
• where there is an overriding public interest such as to prevent harm against someone or to investigate a crime
• to defend against a complaint or legal claim
• to protect our name and reputation for example to provide our side of a story reported in the press

Who we share your information with

With your permission, we may share your information with other organisations to help resolve your problem(s). The type of organisations that we refer people to include (but are not limited to) – Advocacy Service North East Wales, Shelter Cymru, Flintshire Food Bank, Flintshire County Council, another Local Citizens Advice office, DASU.

If you ask us to act on your behalf we may need to share some of your information with other organisations – we’ll always tell you when we do this and only with your express permission. For example if we contact your creditors about your debts, we may need to share your name, address and financial details with them.

To find out more about who we might share your information with, please see our national Citizens Advice privacy notice.

Our lawful basis for using your information

We use the following lawful bases to use your information to help you resolve your problem(s):

Legitimate interest – We have a legitimate interest to provide you with advice.  

We also have a legitimate interest to:

• ensure that we are meeting appropriate quality and standards in our advice to clients
• defend legal claims
• investigate complaints and implement lessons learned from them
• ensure our service is accessible
• promote equity and diversity in our service. 

Establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims – Where we are helping you establish your legal rights, for example in relation to benefits.

Also, where we are investigating complaints and defending against legal claims, 

Substantial Public Interest (provision of confidential counselling, advice or support) – Where we are providing advice to you which doesn’t relate to your legal rights, for example in relation to your wellbeing

Also, where we are investigating complaints, defending against legal claims, are helping to ensure that our service is accessible and to promote equity and diversity in our service.

Vital interests – Where a person’s life may be in danger.