In-Form is the database used to record information about people who have been in contact with housing or homelessness services in Cambridge city. Any information recorded about you on In-Form will only be accessed or changed by workers who are directly involved with your support.

In-Form allows housing and homelessness services to keep a record of the work they have done with you and to understand your needs. This means they can help you access services such as accommodation, advice, healthcare or help with benefits. Some hostels in Cambridge can only accept referrals via the In-Form system.

Who manages In-Form?

In-Form is a shared system used by most of the housing and homelessness services in Cambridge. Although data can be entered and viewed by services working directly with you, Cambridge City Council manages the system and is the ‘data controller’.

Why is my information recorded on In-Form?

Services that record information on In-Form are working with local authorities to help people who have slept rough move away from the streets. Services also work to prevent homelessness, which can include providing support in a range of ways.

This work is carried out in the public interest to make sure nobody has to face homelessness in Cambridge. This is the ‘legal basis’ for processing your information.

What information is recorded on In-Form?

• Basic personal details such as your name, date of birth, nationality and some ‘sensitive’ details, such as ethnicity.
• Records of contacts with case workers, e.g. on the street, in a day centre or during cold weather provision.
• Moving in and out of hostels and other accommodation.
• Support needs information, such as whether you have problems with alcohol or with your physical or mental health.
• Other information that will help to ensure workers understand the services you need, such as whether you have been in the armed forces, care or prison.

Who can see this information?

Information held on In-Form is only available to carefully selected organisations and workers who really need to see it. These include the Cambridge Street Outreach team, Centre 33, adult and youth supported housing projects, Wintercomfort and some health services.

The information is also available to staff at local authorities who are responsible for funding and developing plans to reduce homelessness. Data from In-Form is also used in statistics and research to help find ways to end homelessness. Names and other information that could identify an individual are never included in research and statistical reports.

Information is only ever shared with the police if there is a concern about someone’s safety, or if they need information relating to a very serious offence. Information is not shared with the Home Office.

How long is my information kept for?

Unfortunately people can return to rough sleeping after long periods away from the streets. When this happens it is helpful for services working with them to be able to look up information about their needs and the services they previously accessed.

For these reasons, your information will be held on In-Form until 15 years after you last had anything recorded on the system.

What are my rights?

You have a range of rights in relation to the processing of information that is held about you on In-Form. This leaflet is designed to tell you everything you need to know about this, and is sometimes referred to as a ‘privacy notice’.

• You have the right to see a copy of the information held about you on In-Form.
• If you think that any information recorded about you on In-Form is wrong, you can ask for it to be corrected. The In-Form team will discuss this with you, and with the services that recorded the information, to see if changes need to be made.
• You have the right to object to your information being processed if you think it is not justified in your particular case. The In-Form team will discuss this with you, and with services that have recorded information about you, to see if they need to follow your objection.
• You have the right to ask for your information to be erased. This is not an automatic right and will only apply in certain circumstances, for example if you have successfully objected to your information being processed.
• You have the right to request that your information is restricted from being accessed or used. You might request this temporarily while other requests you make are being investigated, or permanently if you have successfully objected to your information being processed.

You can make a request to the In-Form system administrator at Cambridge City Council in relation to any of these rights, and they must provide a response within one month.

Requests can be made via a case worker, or directly to the city council by emailing housing.advice@cambridge.gov.uk. If you make a request directly to the city council you will need to supply proof of ID.

Who can I contact if I have a question or complaint?

If you have any questions about In-Form, or would like to make a request in relation to any of the rights described above, or have a complaint about the way your data has been processed, you can contact the In-Form team at Cambridge City Council at housing.advice@cambridge.gov.uk.

If you would like to make a complaint about how your data has been recorded or shared on In-Form, you can also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is the body that regulates data protection in the UK. You can contact them on 0303 123 1113 or via their website at www.ico.org.uk.