Who we are
This website is operated by the Department of Health and Social Care (Department of Health and Social Care, 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0EU).
Services on this website such as the National Gambling Helpline and live chat feature are not related to the Department of Health and Social Care and are delivered by GamCare. This website simply provides links to these services.
Please read this policy carefully, along with our Terms of Use and any other documents referred to in this policy, to understand how we collect, use and store your personal data.
Data Protection
As you browse this website, we collect some personal data. This helps us to deliver this service.
We will never exchange or sell the data we collect to another organisation for their own marketing purposes.
Purposes for which your personal data are processed
The below summarises the different reasons why we may collect personal data.
- to provide you with services, products or information you have requested, including to link you through to the National Gambling Helpline operated by GamCare, or to provide you with results on the Service Finder (note that for the National Gambling Helpline, personal data is collected directly by GamCare and governed by their privacy policy - we do not have any access to any of the live chat data);
- to analyse and improve our work, services, activities, products or information (including our website), or for our internal records (note we use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to analyse website usage and improve the effectiveness of our services - these analytics involve pseudonymised identifiers such as cookie IDs, and aggregated information);
- to report on the impact and effectiveness of our work;
- to run/ administer our website, keep it safe and secure and ensure that content is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device;
- for training and / or quality control;
- to audit and / or administer our accounts;
Lawful Processing
We process your data on the basis of ‘Public Interest’: processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller.
Personal data collected
We collect the following personal data, if you consent to it:
- cookie IDs (including Google Analytics IDs), for users who opt into analytics tracking.
How long we keep personal data
We remove your personal data from our records five years after the date it was collected. However, if before that date (i) your personal data is no longer required in connection with the purposes outlined above, (ii) we are no longer lawfully entitled to process it, or (iii) you validly exercise your right of erasure (see Data Protection Rights below), we will remove it from our records at the relevant time.
Data Sharing
We will not exchange or sell the data we collect to another organisation for their own marketing purposes. However, there are some situations where we may have to share your personal data with other organisations, including:
- suppliers and service providers
- The Gambling Commission, Charity Commission, Fundraising Regulator, Information Commissioner’s Office, legal advisors and relevant professional and trade associations.
- other government departments and agencies
- devolved government departments
- health and care organisations
- other statutory law enforcement agencies and investigative bodies
- health, social and welfare advisers or practitioners
- police forces and other law enforcement organisations
- the Government Internal Audit Agency and other auditors as required
- If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of use and other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Department of Health and Social Care, those who engage with this service, or others. This includes exchanging data with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
Data Protection Rights
You have the following rights:
- get copies of data - individuals have the right to ask for a copy of any data about them that is used
- limit how the data is used - individuals have the right to ask for any of the data held about them to be restricted - for example, if they think inaccurate data is being used
- get data corrected - individuals have the right to ask for any data held about them that they think is inaccurate, to be corrected - this is not an absolute right under UK GDPR and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
- object to the data being used - individuals can ask for any data held about them to not be used - this is not an absolute right under UK GDPR and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
- get data deleted - this is not an absolute right under UK GDPR and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis
- lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you think we are not handling your data fairly or in accordance with the law
Collection of data through ‘Cookies’
Like most websites, we use ‘cookies’ on this website. For more information regarding out use of cookies including a description of the cookies we use please see our Cookie Policy.
Where we store your personal data
All personal data is stored within the UK and EEA
What to do if you are not happy?
You can contact us regarding this Policy at the following address:
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0EU
By email: data_protection@dhsc.gov.uk
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) at any time if you have any concerns about Data Protection using their help line 0303 123 1113 or website.
Page last updated: February 2026
