Privacy Notice for Council Tax, Business Rates & Benefits

To support the efficient, accurate and consistent delivery of our Revenues & Benefits services, we use Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools. RPA is a form of automated processing that uses software to perform repetitive, rule-based administrative tasks such as data entry, record updates and standard processing steps within our secure systems. This helps reduce processing times, minimise manual errors and allow our trained officers to focus on cases requiring human judgement, discretion or complex support for residents.

Under Article 22 of the UK GDPR, individuals have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing (including profiling) where the decision produces legal effects concerning them or similarly significantly affects them.

The RPA tools we use do not make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects. RPA operates strictly according to predefined rules and policies that mirror those applied by our staff in manual processing. It performs routine, mechanical tasks and calculations but does not involve automated individual decision-making as defined under Article 22 UK GDPR. No decisions that require judgement, discretion, evaluation of personal circumstances or assessment of evidence are made automatically without human involvement.

All outcomes from RPA processes are subject to meaningful human oversight. Revenues & Benefits officers regularly review automated outputs, handle any exceptions or unusual cases and make final decisions on matters involving judgement or discretion. If an automated process flags a potential issue or anomaly, it is referred to a trained officer for review and resolution.

We use RPA to:

• Improve accuracy and consistency in applying statutory rules and policies across cases;
• Speed up routine administrative tasks, enabling faster service delivery where possible;
• Reduce administrative burden on staff, so they can prioritise personalised support for residents with more complex needs;
• Support our statutory duties to deliver efficient, cost-effective, and reliable public services (e.g., Council Tax billing, Council Tax Reduction assessments, and benefits processing).

RPA processes the same categories of personal data that we would handle manually for your claim, account, or case. This may include:

• Name, address, and contact details;
• Council Tax or Business Rates account information;
• Household composition and financial details relevant to Council Tax Reduction or benefits assessments;
• Evidence or documentation you provide in support of your claim or application.

No additional or different personal data is collected or processed as a result of using RPA.

RPA tools operate entirely within our secure, controlled IT environment and are subject to the same rigorous safeguards as manual processing by staff. These include:

• Strict access controls and role-based permissions;
• Encryption of data in transit and at rest where appropriate;
• Audit trails and logging of all automated actions for accountability and review;
• Regular security testing, data governance reviews, and compliance checks;
• Adherence to government security standards and data-sharing protocols (e.g., as set out in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Local Authority Memorandum of Understanding).