Privacy Policy

Next Step Advisors is an independent advice, advocacy and support service based in England, United Kingdom. We provide support to adults, older people, disabled people, carers and families navigating health, social care and welfare systems.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Next Step Advisors is the data controller for the personal information we collect through this website and in the course of providing our services.

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Contact details — your name, email address, telephone number and any other information you provide when you contact us through our website, by telephone, email or WhatsApp.

Enquiry details — information about your situation and the support you are seeking, which you share with us when making an enquiry or booking an appointment.

Case information — where you become a client, we may collect more detailed personal information relevant to your case, including information about your health, disability, finances or family circumstances, where this is necessary to provide our services.

We use your personal information to respond to your enquiries and provide the advice, advocacy and support services you have requested.

We may also use your contact details to send you information relevant to your case or appointment. We will not send you marketing communications without your consent.

We process your personal information on the legal basis of legitimate interests (to respond to enquiries and provide our services) and, where relevant, on the basis of your consent or to fulfil a contract with you.

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss or disclosure.

We will never sell your personal information to third parties. We will only share your information with third parties where necessary to provide our services (for example, with a relevant authority or organisation on your behalf, with your consent), or where we are required to do so by law.

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Enquiry information is typically retained for up to 12 months. Case files are retained for a period appropriate to the nature of the case and any applicable legal requirements.

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, to request correction of inaccurate information, to request deletion of your information in certain circumstances, to object to or restrict our processing of your information, and to data portability.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe your data protection rights have been breached.

Our website uses essential cookies to ensure it functions correctly. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies without your consent. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us via the Contact page on this website.