Last updated: 22nd July 2026
About Us
Carers in Bedfordshire (CiB) is a charity that provides information, advice, support and wellbeing services to carers and families. We also deliver the Carers in Luton, Young Carers Bedfordshire and Carus for Carers Services.
To provide our services, we need to collect and use information about you.
We only collect information that we need to:
- Provide support and services.
- Keep people safe.
- Meet our legal and contractual responsibilities.
- Improve our services.
For most of our services, Carers in Bedfordshire decides what information is needed and how it is used. This means we are the Data Controller.
Sometimes we provide services on behalf of another organisation, such as a local authority. In those situations, that organisation may also have responsibilities for your information.
We are committed to being open, honest and transparent about how we use your information.
Contact Us
Carers in Bedfordshire
Bedford Heights
Manton Lane
MK41 7PH
Telephone: 0300 111 2042
Email: contact@carersinbeds.org.uk
For data protection enquiries:
Laura Palmariello
laura@dataprivacyexpert.co.uk
Who This Notice Applies To
This notice applies to people who use, enquire about or are referred to our services, including:
- Adult carers
- Former carers
- Young carers
- People receiving wellbeing support
- Grant applicants and recipients
- Family members
- Individuals referred to us
- People making enquiries about our services
What Information We Collect
Depending on the service you use, we may collect:
Basic Information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Emergency contact details
Information About Your Situation
- Information about your caring role
- Information about the person you care for
- Information about the support you need
Service Information
- Referrals
- Assessments
- Support plans
- Contact records
- Notes of meetings and conversations
- Records of support provided
Health and Wellbeing Information
Where necessary, we may collect information about:
- Physical health
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Disabilities
- Support needs
- Memory loss or dementia
Equality Information
You may choose to tell us about:
- Ethnicity
- Religion
- Sexual orientation
Some information is necessary for us to provide our services to you. Where information is optional, we will advise you when collecting your information. Providing the equality information is completely optional and does not affect the services you receive. We use equality information to help make sure our services are fair and accessible to all members of the community, and it helps us get funding to deliver our services.
We may also collect information about your sex or gender. This helps us understand who uses our services, identify groups that may be under-represented and ensure our services are accessible and appropriate for different communities. For example, male carers are currently under-represented, and we receive National Lottery funding to provide targeted support for them. Information about sex or gender may therefore be needed to determine eligibility for certain funded services.
This information also helps us consider whether single-sex services may improve engagement among communities with particular cultural or religious needs. We may use aggregated statistical information for monitoring and reporting to funders, the Carers Trust and in our annual reports. Wherever possible, this reporting will not identify individuals.
Where We Get Information From
We usually receive information directly from you.
We may also receive information from:
- Family members
- The person you care for
- Local authorities
- NHS organisations
- GP surgeries
- Memory clinics
- Schools and colleges
- Partner organisations
- Other services involved in your support
Why We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide advice, information and support.
- Deliver services and activities.
- Assess eligibility for support.
- Manage referrals.
- Administer grants.
- Contact you about services you receive.
- Respond to enquiries.
- Safeguard children and adults at risk.
- Manage complaints and concerns.
- Improve our services.
- Meet legal and contractual requirements.
- Produce anonymous statistics and reports.
Why We Are Allowed To Use Your Information
Data protection law says we must have a valid reason for using personal information.
The reasons we use most often are:
To Provide a Service You Have Asked For
For example, when you ask us for advice, support, a grant or another service.
To Run Our Charity and Services
We need to use information to organise, manage and improve the support we provide.
To Meet Legal Responsibilities
Sometimes the law requires us to keep records, investigate concerns or share information.
To Keep People Safe
We may need to use or share information where there are concerns about the safety of a child, vulnerable adult or another person.
To Deliver Publicly Funded Services
Some of our services are funded or commissioned by local authorities or other public bodies. We may need to process information as part of delivering those services.
When You Give Consent
Sometimes we will ask your permission before using information.
For example:
- Optional equality monitoring information.
- Certain photographs.
- Marketing communications.
Giving us information does not automatically mean you are giving consent.
If we rely on consent, we will tell you and you can withdraw it at any time.
Do I Have To Give You My Information?
You do not have to give us information.
However, if you choose not to provide information we need to deliver a service, we may not be able to provide that service.
For example, if you ask for support but do not give us your contact details, we may not be able to contact you or arrange support.
Who We Share Information With
We only share information when necessary and appropriate.
Depending on the service you receive, we may share information with:
- Local authorities
- NHS organisations
- Healthcare professionals
- Partner organisations
- Commissioners and funders
- Emergency services
- Police
- Regulators
- Courts where required by law
- Schools and colleges
We only share the minimum information necessary.
Any organisation we work with must keep your information secure. If you have questions about who we share your information with and why, feel free to contact us.
If Services Change Provider
Sometimes a service delivered by Carers in Bedfordshire may transfer to another organisation.
For example, a local authority may award a contract to a different provider.
Where support needs to continue, relevant information may be transferred to the new provider so that services are not interrupted.
Where possible, we will tell you before this happens and explain any choices available to you.
Information Stored Outside the UK
We do not routinely transfer personal information outside the United Kingdom. However, some of our service providers and systems may store or process information in other countries.
Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that an appropriate transfer mechanism and safeguards are in place, as required by data protection law. These measures are intended to provide your information with a level of protection essentially equivalent to that provided in the UK.
Telephone Recordings
We record telephone calls for training, quality monitoring, complaints handling and record-keeping purposes. You can opt out of call recording by telling our team member at the start of the call. Recordings are kept securely for 30 days and then deleted. If you provide payment card details by phone, the recording will be paused or stopped while these details are taken.
How Long We Keep Information
We only keep information for as long as we need it.
We determine how long to keep personal information by considering the nature and sensitivity of the information, why we collected it, how long it is needed for that purpose, the potential risks of keeping it, and any applicable legal, regulatory, safeguarding, funding or contractual requirements. We securely delete or anonymise information when it is no longer required. Some records may be kept for a different period because of:
- Legal requirements
- Safeguarding requirements
- Funding requirements
- Contractual obligations
You can ask us for a copy of our retention schedule if you would like more detail.
How We Keep Information Safe
We take the security of your information seriously.
Measures we use include:
- Secure computer systems
- Password protection
- Multi-factor authentication
- Restricted access to records
- Encryption
- Staff training
- Confidentiality agreements
- Secure backups
- Data protection policies
- Safeguarding procedures
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Ask for a copy of your information.
- Ask us to correct information that is wrong.
- Ask us to delete information in some circumstances.
- Object to certain uses of your information.
- Ask us to limit how we use information in some circumstances.
- Withdraw consent where we rely on your consent.
Some rights may be limited where we have a legal obligation or safeguarding responsibility. To make an enquiry or exercise your rights, please contact us.
Children have the same rights over their personal information as adults. A child may make a request themselves if they understand what it involves. A parent, guardian or authorised representative may make a request on a child's behalf where the child has authorised them, cannot reasonably make the request themselves, or where this is clearly in the child's best interests. We may need to confirm the identity and authority of the person making the request.
Questions, Concerns or Complaints
If you have any questions about how we use your information, or you think we may have got something wrong, please contact us.
We will listen to your concerns, investigate where necessary and respond in line with our complaints process.
If you are not happy with our final response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Changes to This Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The latest version will always be available from Carers in Bedfordshire.
Last Updated: 22nd July 2026
