ReAct research: privacy information notice
Data protection legislation and personal data
Data protection legislation determines how, when and why any organisation can process personal data. ‘Personal data’ means any information which can identify someone. ‘Processing’ means any actions performed on personal data, including: collection, storage, alteration or deletion. These laws exist to ensure that your data are managed safely and used responsibly. They also provide you with certain rights in respect of your data and creates a responsibility on the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to provide you with certain information.
For this research, IES is the data controller. This means IES is responsible for determining the purposes and means of processing of personal data collected as part of this research. The research is funded by the ReAct partnership, which brings together the eight prime providers delivering Restart in different parts of England and Wales.
This privacy notice sets out the legal basis for processing data in relation to this research. This includes who will have access to your personal data, how your data will be used, stored and deleted, your legal rights and who you can contact with a query or a complaint.
The legal basis for processing personal data
The legal basis under which this personal data will be processed is IES’s legitimate interest in conducting research into the Restart scheme.
This legal justification applies to this research project, which is focused on ways to improve the delivery of the Restart scheme.
Participation in the research is completely voluntary – just because you are contacted, does not mean that you have to take part and you can decline the invitation without having to give a reason.
Who will have access to my personal data?
Your survey responses will be stored on an encrypted server, with access restricted solely to members of the research team.
Information you provide will be used in an anonymised format – this means we will remove any information that could be used to identify you. Quotes may be used but they will not be attributed to you and anything that could identify you (such as an individual’s name) will be removed from the quote.
How will my data be treated?
The information you give will only be used for purposes of this research. IES will produce a report summarising the main findings from the ERSA conference 2025. This will be shared with the Prime Providers of Restart and DWP and will also be published on the IES website. Individuals will not be named in the output, nor will any information be included that could reveal their identity.
Data protection law requires that personal data are kept for no longer than is necessary. We will anonymise the information you provide as soon as we practically can, and the personal data we used to contact you will be securely deleted from the IES systems three months after the research is complete (currently estimated to be the end of February 2026).
Who can I contact with a query about how my data will be used?
If you have any questions about how your data will be used, please contact Emily Kramers, Project Manager of this research: emily.kramers@employment-studies.co.uk
You may also contact the IES Data Protection Adviser, Tony Lloyd: tony.lloyd@employment-studies.co.uk
Who can I contact with a complaint?
Further information on the rights available to you is also available from the Information Commissioner’s Office - the independent body responsible for regulating data protection within the UK. They can also deal with any complaints you may have regarding our use of your data:
- Tel: 0303 123 1113
- Email: casework@ico.org.uk
- Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF