What service is being provided?
The Taxicard scheme is for people with serious mobility or visual impairments and who find using public transport very difficult or impossible. It allows people to travel in taxis and private hire vehicles (mini cabs) at a reduced rate. To use the Taxicard service you need to become a member.
The Taxicard scheme is run by Hammersmith & Fulham Council, and London Councils. Hammersmith & Fulham are responsible for assessing and reviewing your eligibility for the Taxicard scheme on submission of a completed application and the supporting information you provide. London Councils are responsible for the management of the Taxicard service on behalf of all London Local Authorities.
Hammersmith & Fulham and London Councils are jointly responsible for making sure that your information is managed properly.
Under data protection legislation, we must ensure that we have an adequate reason or legal grounds to support the use of your personal information. The legal grounds we use to determine that the processing of personal information is necessary, is to enable us to fulfil a 'public task'. We also rely on the following legal grounds:
- Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 (NAA) enables local authorities to provide a wide variety of services to promote the welfare of disabled persons.
- Section 2 (1) (c and d) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 reinforce this and make it specifically about transport
- Where we have your explicit consent to handle your information for a particular purpose
- Where it's necessary for equality of opportunity or to meet your specific needs
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office for the purposes of processing personal data.
The information you provide
The personal information we hold is provided by you when you register to become a Taxicard member and through your continued use of the Taxicard scheme. The information you provide will be held and used in accordance with the requirements of UK and European data protection law for a period of 6 years plus the current year, when it will be securely destroyed.
When you contact Hammersmith & Fulham by telephone we will record the call for quality and training purposes. Telephone recordings are kept for a period of 6 months, at which point they are then deleted.
When you make an appointment to visit our service Hammersmith & Fulham will keep the appointment details for a period of 6 months, at which point they are then deleted.
What data do we collect?
Unless otherwise agreed with you, we will only collect the minimum personal data required to deliver the service, which includes:
- Name
- Address
- Contact details
- Gender
- Date of birth
- GP's name
- National Insurance Number
- Proof of your identity (e.g. driving licence, passport)
- Proof of your address (e.g. council tax bill, utility bill)
- Details of any person with legal responsibility for you
- Information about other transport schemes you may use
- Your communication preferences
- Any other personal information that you supply in your supporting documentation as part of your application to become a Taxicard member
The following special category data is collected:
- Photograph
- Ethnicity (for equality monitoring purpose and is optional)
- Evidence to support automatic eligibility (e.g. Blue Badge holder, Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) evidence of entitlement to benefits or allowances you receive relating to mobility)
- Limited details about your disability, health or long-term condition relating to your mobility.
- Information relating to your mobility aids and travel requirements.
- In certain circumstances we may collect information obtained during a mobility assessment (if applicable).
Information is collected by submission of a completed application form and supporting evidence which is used to assess and review your eligibility for the Taxicard service. Applications can be submitted by post, by email or in person.
Who will be using your personal data?
To enable us to provide services to you, it may be necessary for us to obtain relevant information and to share your personal information with others.
Your information (only as relevant) will be shared with London Councils who are responsible for the administration of the Taxicard scheme.
As a Taxicard member, your information will also be shared with London Councils contracted vehicle provider, CityFleet, who provide the booking system, vehicles, and customer relationship database. CityFleet may share this information with subcontracted private hire vehicle (minicab) providers, but only such information as relevant to travel needs.
Who else might we share your data with?
IT software providers - IT Software providers such as Conduent Parking Enforcement Solutions Ltd who are contracted by Hammersmith & Fulham to host and manage our data.
Prevention and detection of fraud - Hammersmith & Fulham may share and compare your information with other council services and other organisations to make sure the information is accurate, to protect public funds, recover debt and/or prevent or detect fraud. These other organisations include government departments, other local authorities, the police, and private sector organisations such as banks or organisations that lend money.
Legal requirements - Hammersmith & Fulham will use all information held by us for the purposes of law enforcement, regulation and licensing, criminal prosecutions, and court proceedings.
Corporate business intelligence – Hammersmith & Fulham may share the information you give us (only as relevant) with other council services for research and analysis purposes, to help us design and improve the services we provide, and to identify and contact residents who may benefit from them.
Developing and testing business applications – Hammersmith & Fulham may use the information you give us (only as relevant) to maintain and improve the services which we deliver, this includes developing and upgrading the systems which we use to process your information.
Statistical purposes – Hammersmith & Fulham (only as relevant) may use your information for statistical purposes in order monitor and manage the Taxicard scheme.
Authorised representatives – Hammersmith & Fulham may share your information (only as relevant) with representatives who are legally responsible for you or with representatives such as Members of Parliament or councillors who you have authorised to make enquiries on your behalf.
What is your personal information used for?
Hammersmith & Fulham will use your personal information:
- To assess and review your eligibility for the Taxicard scheme in accordance with governing legislation.
- For administration of the Taxicard scheme.
- To monitor the Taxicard service locally and ensure that it continues to meet your needs
London Councils and the companies that process your information will use it:
- Customer service and administration
- The provision of travel services
- Customer research
- Fraud prevention
- to manage travel bookings
- to manage customer relationships including enquiries and complaints
- to source taxis and private hire vehicles (minicab) via subcontracted providers (only such information as relevant to travel needs).
- To contact you as part of the improvements to the Taxicard scheme.
The Joint Data Controllers are London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and London Councils.
The Data Protection Officer for London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham can be contacted at information.management@lbhf.gov.uk
The Data Protection Officer for London Councils can be contacted at dataprotection@londoncouncils.gov.uk
The Data Processors supporting this purpose are the IT Software providers who host and manage our data.
How do I know the information about me is kept safely?
All the information we collect is stored securely on our IT systems and manual filing systems. We have strict procedures for the way this is done. Any and all information about you is treated as confidential and with respect. There are also clear rules and guidance about storing, recording, and sharing information which staff receive training on.
We take information sharing very seriously. Any member of staff who is found to be breaking the rules will be dealt with through appropriate disciplinary procedures.
The information we hold will not be stored in or accessible from countries with non- UK-equivalent Privacy Law protections
London Councils and their contracted providers have processes in place to describe how your information is handled and protected.
Further details and information about how London Councils handle your information is available in the London Councils taxi card privacy statement.
Marketing
Hammersmith & Fulham Council and London Council do not process your personal information for marketing purposes.
Profiling and automated-decision making
Hammersmith and Fulham do not process your personal information using profiling or automated decision-making processes
Profiling and automated decision making does not apply to London Councils processing of your information.
Our use of your data will be subject to the following legal rights:
- Your right to be informed
- Your right to access your personal data
- Your right for us to rectify your personal data
You have the right of access to the personal data we process about you, and in this instance, the right of objection and/or restriction to the processing. You can ask us to stop processing your information but this means you will no longer be able to use your Taxicard.
Details of how to make a subject access request
Further information about how to contact London Councils please go to London Councils Taxicard privacy statement.
Visit the following links for more information about privacy law, our obligations, and your rights:
- The ICO Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation 2016
- The General Data Protection Regulation 2016
If you have concerns
If you have concerns over the way we are asking for or using your personal data, please raise the matter with our H&F In Touch Team by the following means:
H&F In Touch Team, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Hammersmith, London W6 9JU
020 8748 2456
If you still have concerns following our response you have the right to raise the matter with the Information Commissioner's Office.