A subject access request must be made in writing either physically or electronically. Proof of identification must also be enclosed, comprising a copy of an official document containing photographic identification such as a copy of your passport or driving licence.

The following template HERE is not compulsory, however, may be useful to you in completing a subject access request, this can be submitted electronically to help@lancastersu.co.uk or physically to the following address:

Data Protection Officer

Lancaster University Students’ Union

Bowland Main

Bailrigg

Lancaster

LA1 4YT

The Students’ Union will only begin to process a request once it is in receipt of all three items.

The Students’ union will send you an acknowledgement of the request. If we need any clarification, or if proof of ID is missing, we will contact you as soon as possible. Once we are in receipt of a clear request and proof of ID we will begin to locate and collate the relevant personal data.

The subject access right allows individuals the right to access personal data of which they are the subject. It does not provide the right to access entire documents if the documents do not fully comprise the personal data of the individual. Therefore, in response to a subject access request, an individual may receive partial or redacted documents.

An individual only has the right to access personal data of which they are the subject and there is no right of access to the personal data of friends or family. However, there are some instances in which a request made on behalf of another individual or for a specific purpose (such as the detection or prevention of crime) will be considered. Please see the section 'Making a third party request for personal data' below for further information.

Under data protection legislation, the Students’ Union must respond within one month of receiving a request and proof of ID unless the request is particularly complex, in which case the deadline may be extended by a further two months. Where the Students’ Union needs to extend a deadline we will write to inform the requestor of this.

Copies of personal data will normally be sent either electronically (by email attachment, using password protection and encryption) or in hard copy (by the Royal Mail's 'Signed For' service). If you prefer, you can request that we provide personal data to you orally, but we will only do so if we are able to verify your identity first.

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your subject access request has been processed or dissatisfied with the response that you have been given, please write to the students’ union’s Data Protection Officer in the first instance via help@lusu.co.uk  so that the students’ union is provided with the opportunity to review the matter and respond to your concerns.

You can also ask the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to carry out an assessment to see whether it is likely or unlikely that the students’ union has responded properly. The ICO can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 1231113

Website: www.ico.org.uk

There are some circumstances under which the students’ union will consider a request for access to personal data on behalf of another individual, or a request for access to personal data of another individual without their consent. These are:

• The requestor is the parent of a child under the age of 12
• The requestor has the written permission to make a request on behalf of another individual
• The requestor has Power of Attorney or an order from the Court of Protection to act on behalf of another individual
• The students’ union believes that it is in the best interests of an individual who does not have the capacity to make a request themselves
• The students’ union deems that release can be justified under crime and taxation provisions.

In these circumstances the students’ union may seek further information from the requestor in order to help determine whether we are willing to release any personal data.

Children aged 13 and above are generally deemed mature enough to make decisions about the processing of their personal data and would normally be expected to submit a subject access request themselves. Where a parent of a child over the age of 13 submits a subject access request on the child's behalf, the students’ union may contact the child to request their consent to the release of the personal data, or require the parent to provide written consent from the child.

A parent has the right to request access to their child's personal data, where the child is under 13 years old. The students’ union will decide whether it is in the best interests of the child to make the disclosure. Please follow the subject access request process above, submitting a copy of a form of ID for yourself and your child.

A request for access to personal data made on behalf of an adult will need to be accompanied by a signed letter from the data subject which contains consent to the release of all or specific personal data to the requestor. Such requests are typically made by solicitors acting on behalf of a client.

A request for access to personal data made on behalf of an adult who does not have the capacity to make a request themselves will need to be accompanied by proof that the requestor has the authority to act on behalf of the data subject, such as through Power of Attorney or an order from the Court of Protection. Where authority is not provided, the students’ union will consider on a case by case basis whether release of the personal data requested is in the best interests of the data subject. Please follow the subject access request process above, submitting a copy of a form of ID for yourself and the data subject and proof of your authority to act on behalf of the data subject.

The Data Protection Act 1998 contains some exemptions (sections 28 and 29) that permit the students’ union to release personal data for the purpose of law enforcement:

• Safeguarding national security (section 28)
• The prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or the assessment or collection of any tax or duty or of any imposition of a similar nature (section 29).

A request for the release of personal data under section 28 or 29 would be typically made by a police force, the Department for Work and Pensions, a local authority or the Border and Immigration Agency. The students’ union is not obliged to release personal data unless it is satisfied that it is reasonable to do so. Under these exemptions, personal data may be released without the consent of the data subject and outside of the purpose for which the personal data was originally collected.

A request for release of personal data for the purpose of law enforcement should be submitted using the requesting organisation's own form for that purpose. Police forces, for example, use standard forms as per guidance issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The form should give full details of the personal data requested, a full explanation of the reason for the request and should be counter-signed by a senior officer of the organisation. Completed forms should be emailed to help@lusu.co.uk. Requests will be acknowledged and a full response sent as soon as possible.