The referral process has been created to ensure that customers have access to the right service at the right time based on the information they provide about their current situation and need. The same online form will be completed regardless of the customer access channel for example, phone, online, face to face. This will enable a standardised streamlined route into support services. The range of supports available include:
- digital access and skills
- welfare rights, benefits, debt, and money advice
- employment advice and support
- homelessness advice and support
- housing rent advice and support (for North Ayrshire tenants)
- health and wellbeing support
For further information on your information rights and how to contact the Data Protection Officer, please visit see the North Ayrshire Council Privacy Policy Statement.
What information do we need?
- name
- address
- telephone number
- National Insurance number
- date of birth
- gender
- number of adults in household
- number of children in household
- household composition
- housing status
- reason for your support request
- registered GP practice (for Health and Wellbeing support requests only)
Who will we share your data with?
Key services involved in the referral process are: -
- Customer Services
- Communities – Libraries
- Employability – North Ayrshire Council internal service works with external provider CEiS Ayrshire
- Financial Inclusion (includes internal services: Money Matters and Welfare Reform Advice Team, external provider CHAP (Community Housing Advocacy Project))
- Health and Wellbeing (Community Link Worker Service)
- Housing
- Homelessness
Please note: To assist with your support needs the information you provide will be shared with other Council Services or organisations / agencies. See appendix 1 below for a list of main organisations / agencies we work with. We will never share your information with third parties without your explicit consent unless there is a legal requirement to do so.
Why do we need the information?
The Council is committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we use your personal data whilst you are accessing services within North Ayrshire. We need your information as we have responsibilities to ensure you are provided with the correct Services and support when you need them. Processing is another way to describe asking for your personal information, keeping it safe and secure and then destroying it properly once we no longer need to keep it.
How do we keep your information safe?
We must make sure that the information we hold about you is managed safely in line with legislation. Only authorised staff can have access to your data, and it is held on secure systems.
How long will we keep your information?
Support Services will only keep an individual’s personal data for as long as necessary. After this time personal data will be securely destroyed. The length of time we need to keep information collected will depend on the purpose for which it is collected. The Council has a Record Retention Schedule which sets out how long we keep records and the reason why.
How is your information shared?
| Support required | Referring routing details |
|---|---|
| Digital access and skills | Email with referral details is sent to Libraries secure email box. |
| Employment advice and support | Email with referral details is sent to Employability teams secure email box. |
| Housing rent advice and support | A referral case is raised and handled in our Customer Relationship Management System, restricted to Housing team. |
| Homelessness advice and support | Email with referral details is sent to Homelessness team's secure email box. |
| Health and wellbeing | Email with referral details is sent to Community Link Worker’s secure email box. |
| Welfare rights, debt advice, money management and budgeting | Email with referral details is sent to the following secure email boxes: - Welfare rights advice only (non-council tenant) - Money Matters. - Welfare rights advice only, debt advice only, or both (council tenant) - Welfare Reform Advice Team. - Debt advice only, or debt and welfare rights advice (non-council tenant) - CHAP. Money Matters, Welfare Reform Advice Team and CHAP are the main providers of Welfare Rights and debt advice to deliver support for North Ayrshire residents. |
This diagram below provides a high-level visual representation of the process flow for requests actioned via the Corporate Referral online form.
Appendix 1
The list below details the key organisations / agencies we work with and may share your information with dependent on your needs identified.
Please note: We will never share your information with third parties without your explicit consent unless there is a legal requirement to do so.
Organisation / Agency:
- 1st Alliance
- ANCHO
- Ayrshire Cancer Support
- Barnardo’s
- British Red Cross
- Break the Silence
- CEiS Ayrshire
- Children's 1st
- Christians Against Poverty
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Citrus Energy - Lemon Aid
- Cunninghame Housing Association
- Dirrans Centre
- DWP/JCP
- Energy Agency
- Home Energy Scotland
- KA Leisure
- NHS
- North Ayrshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS)
- other Housing Associations
- Police Scotland
- Riverside Scotland (Housing Association)
- Sensory Impairment Team
- STAR Centre
- Step Change
- Strathclyde Fire and Rescue
- TACT - The Ayrshire Community Trust
- The Lennox Partnership (We Work for Families)
- Turning Point P.E.A.R Service
- Umbrella Project Victim Support
- Wellbeing Scotland
- Women's Aid