Civil Service Pensions (NI) Privacy Policy Overview
The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to explain why and how Civil Service Pensions collects and uses your personal information, your rights regarding this information and how we comply with data protection law.
Civil Service Pensions (NI) Privacy Policy
Introduction
If you are not yet a member of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) pension schemes then this policy explains how we would use your personal information if you were to become a member, for example if you became employed by an organisation that offers scheme membership as part of its benefits package.
Overview of Data Protection Legislation
All EU (including UK) organisations must comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) from 25 May 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018 which was made law on 23 May 2018. Prior to this date, UK organisations were governed by the Data Protection Act 1998.
After exiting the EU, the UK is no longer regulated domestically by the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs processing of personal data from individuals inside the EU. Instead, the UK now has its own version known as the UK GDPR (UK General Data Protection Regulation).
Legislation sets out the data protection principles. These are that personal information shall be:
- processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
- collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes
- adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed
- accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date
- kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal information is processed, and
- processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.
The NICS Pension Schemes
The NICS pension schemes and associated schemes are listed below along with whether they are covered under the Privacy Policy.
| Scheme | Covered in this Privacy Policy |
|---|---|
| Defined Benefit pension schemes - classic, classic plus, premium, nuvos, alpha | Y |
| Civil Service Compensation Scheme (Northern Ireland) [CSCS(NI)] | Y |
| Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme (Northern Ireland) [CSIBS)] | Y |
| Defined Contribution pension scheme - partnership pension account | N |
| Northern Ireland Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (NICSAVCS) | N |
Civil Service Pensions (CSP) has responsibility for the NICS pension schemes and associated schemes. This means that CSP, Department of Finance (DoF) is the ‘data controller’ for the personal information collected.
If you are an active employee, in employment and contributing to a pension scheme, then your employer is also the ‘joint controller’ of your personal information, as they collect and process personal information about you and pass it to CSP.
CSP(NI) Privacy Notice
The contents of the Privacy Notice are listed below:
- what information we need
- why we process personal information
- how we use your personal information
- who the information may be shared with
- how long we keep your personal information
- security and safe storage of your personal information
- what are your rights?
- personal data breaches
- further information and contact details