Last updated: January 2024
Introduction
lite-shield Financial Education Ltd ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our services.
We encourage you to read this policy carefully. By using our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
We may collect information about you in various ways, depending on how you interact with us.
Information You Provide Directly
When you contact us, request information, or engage our services, you may provide us with:
- Name and contact details including email address and postal address
- Professional information such as job title and employer
- Financial information relevant to the services you have requested
- Communication preferences
- Any other information you choose to share with us
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- IP address (anonymised where possible)
- Pages visited and time spent on pages
- Referring website addresses
- Date and time of visits
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for various purposes related to providing and improving our services:
- To respond to your enquiries and provide requested information
- To deliver the financial education services you have engaged
- To communicate with you about your account or our services
- To send you updates, newsletters, or marketing communications (where you have opted in)
- To improve our website and services based on usage patterns
- To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights
- To detect and prevent fraud or other harmful activities
Legal Basis for Processing
Under UK data protection law, we must have a valid legal basis for processing your personal information. Our legal bases include:
- Contract: Processing necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations to you
- Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services, provided these do not override your rights
- Consent: Where you have given us explicit consent to process your data for specific purposes
- Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with legal requirements
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- Service providers: We may share information with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website and delivering services, subject to confidentiality agreements
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request
- Protection of rights: We may share information when necessary to protect our rights, safety, or property, or that of our clients or others
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Access controls limiting who can view personal information
- Staff training on data protection practices
While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but commit to notifying you promptly of any breach affecting your data.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. The retention period varies depending on the nature of the information and the purpose of processing:
- Client records are retained for seven years after the end of our engagement, as required for regulatory and legal purposes
- Marketing preferences are retained until you withdraw consent
- Website analytics data is typically retained for 26 months
Your Rights
Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Rectification: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
- Erasure: You may request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances
- Restriction: You may request that we restrict processing of your information in certain circumstances
- Portability: You may request to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
- Objection: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes
- Withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within one month.
Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us:
lite-shield Financial Education Ltd
47 Queen Street
Edinburgh EH2 3NH
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe we have not handled your information appropriately. The ICO can be contacted at ico.org.uk.