Privacy Statement

University of Lancashire Students’ Union 

The University of Lancashire Students’ Union (“the Union”, “we”, “our”) is committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about how we use it. This statement explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the rights you have under UK data protection law. 

 

1. Who we are 

We are the University of Lancashire Students’ Union, the independent membership organisation for students at the University of Lancashire. We are the data controller for the personal data we collect and process. 

Contact details: 

  • Data Protection Officer: Chief Executive Officer 

  • Phone: 01772893000 

 

2. What information we collect 

We collect and process personal data so we can provide services and represent our members. This may include: 

  • Membership records (provided by the University). We have a data sharing agreement with the University which allows us to automatically collect information about students when they register with the University. This includes names, gender, dates of birth, student email addresses, course details, term-time post code, phone numbers and marketing preferences. 

  • Contact details you give us through forms, surveys, or event sign-ups 

  • Information when you access our services (e.g. Advice Centre, societies, volunteering, elections) 

  • Payment information for tickets, products, or memberships 

  • Data collected automatically when you use our website (cookies, analytics) 

In some cases, we may process “special category” data (e.g. health information, equality monitoring, or for safeguarding concerns). We only do this where necessary and with your consent, or where legally required. 

 

3. How we use your information 

We use your data to: 

  • Provide membership services (advice, societies, sports, volunteering, events) 

  • Run democratic processes such as elections and representation 

  • Communicate with you about opportunities, campaigns, and news (where you have opted in) 

  • Process payments for events, merchandise, or memberships 

  • Monitor, evaluate, and improve our services and website 

  • Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations 

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so: consent, contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interests. 

 

4. Who we share your information with 

We only share personal data when necessary and with trusted third parties, including: 

  • Payment providers to process transactions 

  • IT and website hosting providers 

  • External auditors and regulators, where required by law 

  • Emergency services or statutory authorities if we believe someone is at risk of harm 

We will never sell your personal data. 

 

5. How long we keep your data 

We only keep personal data for as long as necessary. Typical examples include: 

  • Membership data: up to 12 months after you leave the University 

  • Advice Centre casework: 7 years from the last contact 

  • Staff and HR records: 6 years after employment ends 

For full details, see our Data Retention Policy. 

 

6. Your rights 

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to: 

  • Access a copy of your data (also referred to as a data subject access request) 

  • Correct inaccurate information (you can update your own personal information on this website by logging into your account) 

  • Ask us to delete your data 

  • Restrict or object to our processing of your data 

  • Withdraw consent (where we rely on consent) 

To exercise your rights or complain about the way the Union is handling your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Officer by email at sudpofficer@lancashire.ac.uk  

You can let us know if you would prefer not to receive marketing communications at any time by logging in to your account at www.lancashiresu.co.uk and amending your preferences on your account. 

7. Cookies and website data 

Our website uses cookies to help it function properly and to improve your experience. 

  • Essential cookies are required for the site to work. 

  • Optional cookies (e.g. analytics) are only used with your consent. 

To see how we use cookies, what they are, and which ones we use please go to our Cookies page https://www.lancashiresu.co.uk/cookies/  This page also includes instructions on how to disable cookies if you don’t want them to be used. 

 

8. How we keep your data safe 

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep your data secure, including encryption, secure storage, and strict access controls. 

 

9. Changes to this statement 

We may update this privacy statement from time to time. Any changes will be published on this page. 

 

Last updated: September 2025 

 

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