Privacy Notice

Who we are

Golden Transitions Ltd provides independent guidance and practical support to individuals and families navigating later-life decisions.

Golden Transitions Ltd is the data controller responsible for the personal information we hold.

If you have any questions about how we use your information, please contact us using the details above.

What information we may collect

The information we collect depends on how you use Golden Transitions and the support you ask us to provide.

This may include:

• your name and contact details;
• information you provide when making an enquiry or booking a consultation;
• information you share during consultations or ongoing support;
• information contained in planners, forms or other resources you choose to complete;
• information about a parent, partner, relative or other person you are supporting;
• booking, purchase and payment information;
• communications with us by email, telephone, video call or social media;
• your marketing preferences; and
• technical information about how you use our website.

Because of the nature of our services, you may also choose to share information relating to health or care needs. This could include information about dementia or memory difficulties, diagnoses, medication, mobility, hearing, vision, dietary requirements, hospital treatment or care needs.

We will only collect sensitive information where it is relevant and necessary to the support you are asking us to provide and where we have an appropriate legal basis for doing so.

Golden Transitions is not a healthcare provider. We do not use this information to diagnose medical conditions or provide medical treatment or clinical advice.

Information about someone else

You may contact us because you are supporting a parent, partner, relative or another person. This means you may sometimes need to tell us information about them.

Please only provide information about another person where it is reasonably necessary for us to understand your situation or provide the support you have requested.

We will not use that person's information for marketing simply because you have provided it to us.

How we collect your information

We may collect information when you:

• contact us;
• complete a website form;
• download one of our resources;
• join our mailing list;
• book a consultation;
• purchase a product or service;
• attend a Golden Conversations event;
• communicate with us by telephone, email, video call or social media; or
• provide information while receiving our services.

We may also receive limited information from organisations that help us operate our website, bookings, payments, email and other business systems.

How we use your information

We may use your information to:

• respond to your questions and enquiries;
• understand the situation you need help with;
• provide consultations and ongoing navigation support;
• provide guides, planners and other resources;
• manage appointments and bookings;
• process purchases and payments;
• manage Golden Conversations and other events;
• maintain appropriate business and financial records;
• improve our services;
• keep our website and systems secure;
• manage complaints;
• meet our legal, accounting and tax obligations; and
• communicate with you about Golden Transitions where the law allows us to do so.

Our legal reasons for using your information

UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful reason for using your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, we may use your information because:

• it is necessary to provide a service or take steps you have requested;
• we have a legal obligation;
• we have a legitimate business interest which does not unfairly override your privacy rights;
• you have given us consent; or
• in limited circumstances, it is necessary to protect someone's vital interests.

Where we process health or other special-category information, we will also ensure that an appropriate additional legal condition applies.

Where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

Safeguarding

Because we work with families navigating ageing, dementia and care, we may occasionally become aware of a serious concern about someone's safety or welfare.

If we reasonably believe that someone may be at risk of abuse, neglect or serious harm, we may need to use or share relevant information for safeguarding purposes.

We will consider any disclosure carefully and only share information that is reasonably necessary in the circumstances.

Who we may share information with

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share limited information where necessary with trusted organisations that help us run Golden Transitions, such as:

• website and hosting providers;
• booking and payment providers;
• email and IT providers;
• accountants;
• insurers; and
• professional advisers.

We may also share information where required or permitted by law, including with regulators, public authorities, emergency services or safeguarding organisations.

Where another organisation processes information on our behalf, we expect appropriate confidentiality and data-protection safeguards to be in place.

Professional referrals

Part of our role is helping families understand where they may need specialist professional support. We may signpost or introduce you to independent professionals such as solicitors, financial advisers, care providers or later-life specialists.

We will not normally provide your identifiable personal information to another professional without your knowledge or agreement unless there is another lawful reason for doing so.

Golden Transitions does not receive referral commissions from care homes, solicitors or other professional partners.

Marketing

We want you to remain in control of the communications you receive from us. Where consent is required for electronic marketing, we will ask for it.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe option provided or by contacting us.

We do not sell your information for marketing purposes or give it to another organisation for its own marketing unless you have specifically agreed.

Cookies and our website

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are necessary for the website to work. Other cookies, such as analytics or marketing cookies, may require your consent.

You can manage your choices through our website cookie controls. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.

Our website may also contain links to other organisations' websites. Those organisations are responsible for their own privacy practices.

International transfers

Some of the technology companies we use may process or store information outside the UK. Where this happens, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that your information is protected and that an appropriate transfer mechanism recognised under UK data-protection law is used where required.

Keeping your information safe

We use reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. Access to personal information is limited to people and service providers who genuinely need it.

If a personal data breach occurs, we will assess what has happened and notify affected individuals and/or the Information Commissioner's Office where legally required.

How long we keep information

We only keep personal information for as long as we reasonably need it. How long we retain information depends on why it was collected, the type and sensitivity of the information and any legal, accounting or tax requirements that apply.

Financial and transaction records may need to be retained for up to six years.

When information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy or anonymise it.

Artificial intelligence and automated decisions

Golden Transitions does not currently use automated decision-making to make decisions about clients that have legal or similarly significant effects.

We may use technology, including AI-enabled tools, to support activities such as administration, research, drafting and service improvement. Golden Transitions remains responsible for how personal information is handled.

We will not intentionally enter identifiable health, care or other sensitive client information into a public generative AI service unless appropriate data-protection safeguards and arrangements are in place.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you the right to:

• ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
• ask us to correct inaccurate information;
• ask us to delete certain information;
• ask us to restrict how information is used;
• object to certain uses of your information;
• receive certain information in a portable format;
• withdraw consent where we rely on consent; and
• object to direct marketing.

These rights are not absolute and some exceptions may apply.

To exercise your rights, please contact: judi@goldentransitions.co.uk

We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.

Complaints

If you are concerned about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data-protection regulator. Further information is available from the ICO at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice as Golden Transitions develops or where our services, systems or legal requirements change. The latest version will always be available on together with the date it was last updated.goldentransitions.co.uk, together with the date it was last updated.