Proving your right to access information about you or someone else

On this page

Your rights and our responsibilities

Everyone has the right to access information we hold about them. 

We have a legal responsibility to protect your information from being lost, stolen, or seen by people who shouldn’t have access to it. 

Before we release information about you or someone else, you are required to prove your right to access the information. 

Once we have received all the required evidence, we will respond to your request within one calendar month but could extend the timescale a further two months if necessary.  We will let you know if that happens. 

There is no charge to request or receive the information. 

Proving who you are

Anyone requesting to see personal information about themselves or someone else must prove their identity and address by providing two forms of ID: 

One of the following to prove your identity: 

  • Current passport 
  • Concessionary bus pass 
  • CitizenCard 
  • Blue badge 
  • Current photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
  • Defence identity card
  • HM Armed Forces Veteran card

If you cannot provide photo ID, you must provide your birth certificate, and we will undertake additional checks once we receive your request.  

One of the following to prove your current address: 

  • Utility bill dated within the last three months 
  • Council tax bill for the current year 
  • Bank, building society or credit card statement or letter dated within the last three months 
  • Department for Work and Pensions/state pension correspondence dated within the last three months
  • Financial or Mortgage statement dated within the last 12 months
  • HMRC letter dated within the last 12 months

Proving parental responsibility of a child under 12

If you are asking for a child’s information, you must prove who you are and provide proof of parental responsibility with one of the following: 

  • Birth certificate 
  • Adoption certificate 
  • Parental Responsibility Agreement 
  • Parental Responsibility Order 

If you do not have parental responsibility, you must also provide details of a person who does and prove who they are with two forms of ID. 

Proving your right to access information about a child over 12

You must prove who you are and provide written consent for you to access their information. The consent must include:

  • Their full name
  • Their date of birth
  • Their current address
  • A statement: "I give consent for information held about me, by Nottinghamshire County Council, to be released to the person requesting the information."

Proving you have legal responsibility to act on behalf of an adult without mental capacity

If you're asking for another adult's information who is without mental capacity, you must prove who you are and prove that you can legally act on their behalf with one of the following:

  • Court Deputyship document
  • Court issue Lasting Power of Attorney.

Proving your right to act on behalf of another adult who is aware of the request

If you are helping a friend or relative to access their information, you will need to prove who you are if you want the information send to you, otherwise we will send the information directly to the Data Subject.

One of the following to prove their identity:

  • Current passport
  • Concessionary bus pass
  • CitizenCard
  • Blue badge
  • Current photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
  • Defence identity card
  • HM Armed Forces Veteran card

If you cannot provide photo ID, you must provide their birth certificate, and we will undertake additional checks once we receive your request.

One of the following to prove their current address:

  • Utility bill dated within the last three months
  • Council tax bill for the current year
  • Bank, building society or credit card statement or letter dated within the last three months
  • Department for Work and Pensions/state pension correspondence dated within the last three months
  • Financial or Mortgage statement dated within the last 12 months
  • HMRC letter dated within the last 12 months

Finally, you must provide their written consent for you to access their information. The consent must include:

  • Their full name
  • Their date of birth
  • Their current address
  • A statement: "I give consent for information held about me, by Nottinghamshire County Council, to be released to the person requesting the information."

Proving you have legal responsibility to act on behalf of someone who has passed away

If you are asking for information about someone who has passed away, you will need prove who you are and provide one of the following: 

  • A copy of the death certificate 
  • A copy of the grant of probate. 

You will also need to provide one of the following to prove your authority: 

  • The executor or administrator of their estate 
  • A Personal Welfare Deputy for the person when they were alive 
  • Someone who held Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney for the person when they were alive 
  • Someone who held Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney for the person when they were alive. 

Proving your professional status when acting on behalf of your client

You will need to provide sufficient evidence that you are acting on behalf of your client and provide two forms of ID for your client 

One of the following to prove their identity: 

  • Current passport 
  • Concessionary bus pass 
  • CitizenCard 
  • Blue badge 
  • Current photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
  • Defence identity card
  • HM Armed Forces Veteran card

If they cannot provide photo ID they must provide their birth certificate, and we will undertake additional checks once we receive your request. 

One of the following to prove their current address: 

  • Utility bill dated within the last three months 
  • Council tax bill for the current year 
  • Bank, building society or credit card statement or letter dated within the last three months 
  • Department for Work and Pensions/state pension correspondence dated within the last three months
  • Financial or Mortgage statement dated within the last 12 months
  • HMRC letter dated within the last 12 months

If your client is not the Data Subject, you will also need to provide the relevant evidence for them, depending on the circumstance listed on this page. 

Send supporting documents

Find out how to send supporting documents to us