Privacy notice: how we use your data

Last updated: 10 April 2024

GOV.UK Forms lets UK government teams create online forms to collect information from people and organisations.

GOV.UK Forms is provided by the Government Digital Service (GDS) which is part of the Cabinet Office.

Organisations that create online forms using GOV.UK Forms are the data controller of personal data they collect using those forms, whilst the Cabinet Office, through GDS, is the data processor. The data controller must tell you about what they are doing with your personal data.

This privacy notice explains what personal data the Cabinet Office collects and processes as a data controller through the GOV.UK Forms website and platform.

Read the Cabinet Office’s entry in the Data Protection Public Register for more information.

Data we collect from you and what we do with it

When you use the GOV.UK Forms service your device sends information such as your:

  • IP address
  • web browser and version number
  • time zone and language settings

We use this information to:

  • give you the information and web pages you request
  • monitor the use of the site for security threats
  • monitor the performance of the site to identify inefficiencies and JavaScript errors

We collect this information in system logs. These logs are stored in Amazon Web Services in the UK.

We move some of this information to our security and network monitoring tools in the USA which are provided by companies acting as our data processors.

We may also use this information to produce anonymised reports about the GOV.UK Forms service. This helps us understand where we can make improvements. We may share this information with the data controller of the form.

If you’re a public sector employee and you create a GOV.UK Forms account we’ll collect your:

  • name
  • email address
  • organisation

We may share these details with people at your organisation involved in monitoring access to specific technologies or in managing form creation or website publishing. We do this to help manage access to GOV.UK Forms and to ensure that only legitimate users have access.

We use the supplier, Auth0, to authenticate your email address when you sign in to GOV.UK Forms. This involves us sharing your email address with Auth0 as a data processor. For more information you can read about how Auth0 processes data.

We will send you updates about GOV.UK Forms, and may ask you to share your views and experiences of using GOV.UK forms - for example, by responding to a survey.

If you subscribe to the GOV.UK Forms mailing list we’ll collect your:

  • email address
  • organisation
  • job title

We may use the Mailchimp platform to send these updates and requests. This involves us sharing your email address with the platform provider, Intuit, as a data processor.

Intuit also collects some personal data via the Mailchimp platform as a data controller in their own right. For example, technical information about your device. For more information, you can read Mailchimp’s cookie statement and the Intuit privacy statement.

If you contact us about GOV.UK Forms we’ll collect your name, email address and any other personal information you choose to include in your message.

The legal basis for processing this data is:

  • it’s necessary to perform a task in the public interest
  • it’s necessary in the exercise of our functions as a government department
  • consent when you sign up to the GOV.UK Forms mailing list

We will not:

  • sell or rent your data to third parties
  • share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

We will share your data if we are required to do so by law – for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

Performance analysis

We also carry out performance analysis to see how you use the GOV.UK Forms website and how well the site performs on your device during your visit — we do this to make sure it’s meeting the needs of its users and to improve it.

If you provide your consent, we collect the following information:

  • your IP address
  • the pages you visit on the GOV.UK Forms website
  • how long you spend on each page
  • how you got to the site
  • what you click on while you’re visiting the site

The legal basis for performing web analytics is your consent. You will be asked for your consent when first landing on this website. If you do not give your consent, you will still be able to use the page. If you do give it and change your mind, you can update your cookie settings.

Cookies

Cookies are small files saved on your phone, tablet or computer when you visit a website.

We use cookies to:

  • collect information about how you use this website
  • make GOV.UK Forms work

For more information you can read about the cookies we use.

How long we keep your data

We will only keep your personal data for as long as:

  • the law requires us to
  • we need it for the purposes listed above

This means that we will only hold your personal data for one year.

If you consent to analytics cookies on the GOV.UK Forms website, your personal data will be retained for 14 months.

If you have a GOV.UK Forms account, your personal data will be retained while you continue to have an active account.

If you sign up to our mailing list, your personal data will only be retained while you choose to remain on the list.

Where your data is processed and stored

Your personal data may be transferred outside the United Kingdom while being processed by GDS. If this happens, we’ll make sure you’re given the same level of technical and legal protection as you are within the United Kingdom by relying on the UK Government’s data adequacy decisions or by including clauses in contracts that require the recipient to protect the data in accordance with UK standards.

How we protect your data and keep it secure

We are committed to doing all that we can to keep your data secure. To prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place technical and organisational procedures to secure the data we collect about you – for example, we protect your data using varying levels of encryption. We also make sure that any third parties that we deal with have an obligation to keep all personal data they process on our behalf secure.

Children’s privacy protection

We understand the importance of protecting children’s privacy online. Our services are not designed for, or intentionally targeted at, children 13 years of age or younger. It is not our policy to intentionally collect or maintain data about anyone under the age of 13.

What are your rights

You have the right to request:

  • information about how your personal data is processed
  • a copy of that personal data - this copy will be provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format
  • that anything inaccurate in your personal data is corrected immediately

You can also:

  • raise an objection about how your personal data is processed
  • request that your personal data is erased if there is no longer a justification for it
  • ask that the processing of your personal data is restricted in certain circumstances

If you have any of these requests, get in contact with our Data Protection Officer - you can find their contact details below.

Changes to this notice

We may modify or amend this privacy notice at our discretion at any time. When we make changes to this notice, we will amend the last modified date at the top of this page. Any modification or amendment to this privacy notice will be applied to you and your data as of that revision date. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy notice to be informed about how we are protecting your data.

Questions and complaints

Contact gds-privacy-office@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk if you either:

  • have questions about anything in this document
  • think that your personal data has been misused or mishandled

You can also contact the Cabinet Office Data Protection Officer.

DPO@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Data Protection Officer
Cabinet Office
70 Whitehall
London SW1A 2AS

If you have a complaint, you can also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO is an independent regulator set up to uphold information rights.

Information Commissioner’s Office
icocasework@ico.org.uk
0303 123 1113
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF