How do we handle your personal data?

We will only use your personal data for the purpose for which they were collected. In some cases, we will also use your personal data for a different purpose. This is only permitted if it fits with the original purpose and will not have any negative consequences for you. For example, if you have applied for a benefit, we can actively inform you about applying for debt cancellation or other schemes for people on a low income. We may also use data to investigate whether our policies are effective. We will not take any decisions without the involvement of an employee.

We will take good care of your personal data and treat them safely. Several Acts and regulations set out the protection of these data. We must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the General Data Protection Regulation (Implementation) Act (UAVG). In some cases, the Police Data Act (Wpg) also applies. Additionally, other Acts also contain rules about how we can use your personal data. Some examples:

• the Youth Act (JW) for data about youth services;
• the Social Support Act (Wmo) for data about care and assistance;
• the Act on the Key Register of Persons (Wet BRP) for data on residents.

We keep a list of all the ways in which personal data are used. If you want to know:

• what personal data we store;
• what we do with your personal data;
• where your data come from;
• how long we store your data;

go to the Processing register. Whenever anything changes, we update the register.

Do you need help from the local authority? Or are you applying for something? In that case, you will usually need to give us your personal data. You will in many cases do this yourself. For example, by filling in an application form for a permit or when you apply for a proof of identity.

We collaborate with other organisations. We will in some cases receive your data from them or pass your data on to them.

We can also offer you assistance. Some examples:

• with debts;
• with follow-up care for prisoners or former prisoners;
• with people who need assistance but will not ask for it themselves;
• with reporting points, such as for nuisance or child abuse. This is provided for by law. We are obligated to investigate such reports. In some cases, we will contact you.

To do our work right, we collaborate with different organisations. In some cases, this is mandatory for us. It is often necessary to provide other organisations with your personal data, or we receive your data. For example, from:

• care providers;
• referrers (such as GPs);
• debt assistance providers;
• organisations performing tasks on the local authority’s behalf (such as Amaryllis);
• other local authorities;
• bailiffs;
• the Tax Authorities;
• the Central Administration Office for Exceptional Medical Expenses (CAK);
• the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB);
• the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV);
• the police;
• health insurers;
• power companies;
• housing corporations.

When and from whom we receive information depends on the situation.

Agreements on protecting your privacy

We have made sound arrangements to protect your privacy with all the organisations we work with. These arrangements are laid down by law or in agreements concluded by us. We have also agreed arrangements with the parties supplying our systems. We do not transfer any personal data to countries where the GDPR does not apply or for which it has not been established that they will effectively protect your personal data.

We process large amounts of personal data. It is important that we do so safely and carefully. We implement many different measures to effectively secure your personal data. These measures are set out in national rules that apply to the government: the Government Information Security Baseline. Some examples:

• Sending data via a secure connection when you use an online form on our website.
• Determining who may be granted access to certain data based on their position.
• Imposing a duty of confidentiality on employees and having them submit a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) when starting employment.
• Organising training courses for employees, including on working safely and how to deal with personal data.

We must comply with rules on retaining and destroying information. These rules are set out in the Public Records Act and are elaborated in a separate list. This list sets out for how long we must retain certain types of information and when we must destroy them. Some information must be retained forever, which means we are not permitted to destroy it.

Go to the page Privacyverklaring.