Privacy Policy

At Care Opt, your privacy is our priority. This policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices available to you when you use our website and mobile app.

1. Introduction

Care Opt is a trading name of Agency Care Staff Ltd ("Care Opt", "we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. This policy applies to information we collect through our website, mobile application, support channels, and related services.

2. Data Controller

Agency Care Staff Ltd is the data controller responsible for your personal data. If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

3. The Data We Collect

We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you, including:

• Identity Data: first name, last name, username or similar identifier, and title. For Support Workers, this may also include proof of identity and right to work documents.
• Contact Data: postal address, email address, and telephone numbers.
• Financial Data: bank account and payment card details, processed securely via Stripe or other payment providers.
• Transaction Data: details about payments to and from you, bookings, invoices, payouts, and services you have purchased or provided through the platform.
• Technical Data: IP address, login data, browser type and version, device type, operating system, time zone setting, app diagnostics, and similar technical identifiers needed to operate and secure the platform.
• Profile Data: account credentials, bookings made by you, preferences, feedback, survey responses, reviews, ratings, and profile information you choose to provide.
• Uploaded Content: profile photos, compliance documents, verification records, messages, and any other information you upload or submit through the platform.
• Special Category Data: for Clients, this may include health information and care requirements necessary to match you with a Support Worker and provide care-related services.

4. How Your Data is Collected

We use different methods to collect data from and about you including through:

• Direct interactions: when you create an account, complete your profile, make or accept bookings, upload documents, contact support, or otherwise provide information to us.
• Automated technologies: when you use our website or mobile app, we may automatically collect Technical Data about your equipment, browsing actions, and app usage.
• Third parties: we may receive personal data about you from service providers such as payment processors, identity or compliance tools, analytics providers, and cloud infrastructure providers.

5. How We Use Your Data

We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we use your personal data:

• To register and manage your account.
• To facilitate matching between Clients and Support Workers.
• To manage bookings, communications, invoices, and payments.
• To review compliance information, identity checks, and worker verification materials.
• To respond to support requests and provide customer service.
• To improve, secure, monitor, and administer our website, mobile app, and services.
• To notify you about important service updates, policy changes, and account-related information.
• To comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, safeguarding, fraud-prevention, and reporting obligations.

6. Data Sharing

We share limited personal data between Clients and Support Workers where necessary to facilitate care services. For example, after a booking is confirmed, a Support Worker may receive the Client's address, booking information, and care requirements needed to deliver the service.

We also share data with third-party service providers who perform services for us, such as payment processing, analytics, hosting, authentication, customer support, cloud storage, and compliance-related workflows. We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to process it in accordance with applicable law.

7. Data Security

We have put in place appropriate technical and organisational security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, accessed, altered, or disclosed in an unauthorised way. Access to personal data is limited to people and service providers who have a legitimate business need to know it.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for customer support, fraud prevention, safeguarding, legal, tax, accounting, payment, dispute resolution, and regulatory obligations.

Some data may be retained for longer where required by law, for security, fraud prevention, record-keeping, or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

9. Account Deletion and Data Deletion Requests

Users can request deletion of their account and associated personal data in two ways:

• In-app or on the platform: log in to your account and access your profile to request deletion of your account.
• By email: send your request to support@careopt.co.uk.

When we receive a valid deletion request, we will delete or anonymise personal data unless we are required or permitted to retain certain information for legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, payment, safeguarding, security, fraud-prevention, or dispute-resolution purposes.

Examples of information that may be retained for a limited period where necessary include transaction records, invoices, payout records, audit logs, safety or compliance records, and information required to comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes.

10. Your Legal Rights

Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data, including the right to:

• Request access to your personal data.
• Request correction of your personal data.
• Request erasure of your personal data.
• Object to processing of your personal data.
• Request restriction of processing your personal data.
• Request transfer of your personal data.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the platform may become inaccessible or not function properly. Our website and services may also use similar technologies for authentication, security, analytics, and service performance.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, your personal data, or data deletion requests, please contact us at support@careopt.co.uk.