Personal information collection

I've received this form asking for all kinds of personal information - what's it all about?

• We sent a very similar form to all our tenants last year. We had a really good number of forms returned but not all. Some of the forms which were returned also had some sections which were not filled-in. We understand that some people do not want to share with us the information we are asking for but it is important to tick the ‘prefer not to say’ option and then move onto the next bit. Do try and fully complete the form. So in short, we have sent a copy of the form to tenants where we are still missing information which will help us to help you.
• The form has nothing to do with the Government’s Census survey which you will have also recently received. This information will be used only by Sheffield Homes and only where appropriate contractors who work on our behalf. For example, we do tell our repairs partner Kier if we know you have a disability or language need. That way we can be sure we give you the very best service.
• It’s really important that we have a general understanding of who all our customers are and any individual needs that you may have. This is so we can ensure we are delivering and developing our services in line with your needs.
• If we better understand the needs of customers, no matter how big or small, we can use this information proactively. For example, if we know that a customer finds it difficult to get around we can make sure we wait a little longer for them to answer the door.
• If we know that a customer has a language need we can ensure that we provide information in the appropriate language or format.
• Sheffield Homes, as a responsible landlord, also has a legal duty to all its customers to ensure that all of our policies and procedures are inclusive and that we are not discriminating against particular groups. We can only demonstrate this if we hold all the relevant information.
• By collecting our customers personal information we can also then identify any groups that are may not be accessing services and this will allow us to put appropriate measures in place.
• By collecting individual data we can also closely monitor levels of satisfaction / dissatisfaction and take appropriate action to ensure that our services are fair and accessible to all.

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Is it just Sheffield Homes that does this?

No, all public sector housing and other organisations across the country capture customers personal data. This helps us to monitor customer needs and develop services that reflect our broad customer base but that are flexible enough to cater for individual need.

What personal information are we asking for?

To help us tailor our services with the needs of our customers, we ask for information relating to the following:

Age
We need to monitor the age of our customers to ensure that we provide services in a fair way regardless of age, and in the long term use this information to prevent us from making assumptions about the particular needs or behaviours of certain age groups. This will also help us to ensure we target resource effectively. For example, if we have a large proportion of elderly tenants in one area we may want to work more closely specific support agencies to enhance the availability of services in that area.

Disability
We want to monitor to ensure that services are accessible and that we’ve made reasonable adjustments to our services to meet the various impairments needs of disabled people e.g. access ramps, hearing loops, low reception desks, automatic doors, home visits.

Ethnicity
We want to monitor to ensure that all different ethnic groups receive the same standard of service and are not disadvantaged when it comes to accessing or obtaining our services. This information will also give us an idea which ethnic groups use our service and which ones don’t. It will allow us to better target groups in specific areas.

Gender
We want to monitor to understand if males and females are in contact with our services and for what reason, so we can build a picture and design services that are suitable to meet the lifestyle circumstances of males and females. For example we know Sheffield Homes has a high percentage of elderly tenants, it may be useful to know the percentage that are female and male so we could look at influencing developers/ social services to develop gender specific services.

Religion/belief
We want to monitor to ensure the services we provide are fair and that people feel they are treated with dignity and respect. Monitoring will helps us identify any further training needs for staff. If through monitoring we find that a high number of our customers are from a specific religious group, we can make our staff and partners aware so they are familiar with the customs and traditions. For example, note the dates of various festivals and days or times to avoid visiting.

Sexual orientation
At the moment we don’t record customers’ sexuality. Staff and customers understandably wonder why we need to know such personal information. Some of the reasons are similar to all the other groups, but another reason is that national research shows that Gay and Lesbian people feel that they have been discriminated against and often live in fear of violence.

Monitoring can help us find out:

• How many tenants that have identified himself or herself as Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual.
• Carry out specific surveys that help us further understand the housing concerns of this group and ensure that discrimination does not go unchecked.

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Do I have to give you this information?

No of course not. It will be an advantage for us to have as much information as you are willing to give, but if you really don’t feel comfortable giving the information there is a space on the form so just tick the “prefer not to say” box.

I've already given you this information - why do you want it again?

We know that people’s circumstances change all the time and so we want to make sure that we have the most up to date information as possible so we can be sure we can give you the best service possible.

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How do I know that my information will be kept confidential?

The information gathered will only be seen by staff with authorised access. All our systems are password protected and access is strictly restricted. All paper copies will be safely destroyed and only relevant information will be shared with contractors helping deliver a service on behalf of Sheffield Homes; we will not give this information to anyone else. It will be held securely and in compliance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. Much of the information will not identify particular individuals and will only be used to enable analysis at local and neighbourhood levels.

Will this information be shared with anyone else?

Yes, but only with our partners e.g. Decent Homes contractors and Kier. This is so they can check if any customer requires special needs or adjustment in the way the service is delivered.

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Who will see my completed form?

An officer who has responsibility for putting the data on to a computer will see the form.

What happens to the form once the information has been stored into a computer?

The form will be destroyed once the information is inputted onto the computer.

Can you fill in the questionnaire on my behalf?

Yes we can. You can telephone us using either 0114 293 0000, if you live in the North of the city, or on 0114 205 3333 if you live in the South of the city. You can also do this in person at your local area housing office.

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