1. Introduction

U&W Chartered Accountants website (the “Site”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, store, use, and share your personal data when you visit the Site or use our services. Please read this policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your personal information.

2. Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity Data: Name, job title, company name.
Contact Data: Email address, telephone number, postal address.
Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug‑in types and versions, operating system and platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access the Site.
Usage Data: Information about how you use our Site, products and services.
Marketing and Communications Data: Your preferences in receiving marketing from us and your communication preferences.

3. How We Collect Your Data

Direct interactions: When you fill in forms on the Site (e.g., contact or enquiry forms), correspond via email or phone, or subscribe to our newsletter.
Automated technologies or interactions: As you browse the Site, we collect Technical and Usage Data through cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy for details).
Third parties: We may receive information about you from analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics) and social media platforms if you interact with our content on those platforms.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes (e.g., marketing communications).
Contract: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., providing accountancy services).
Legal obligation: Where we need to process your personal data to comply with a legal obligation (e.g., anti-money laundering regulations).
Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests and does not override your rights (e.g., improving our Site, direct marketing).

5. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to:

Provide and manage our accountancy, tax and advisory services.
Respond to enquiries and communicate with you.
Personalise and improve your experience on the Site.
Send you updates, newsletters, and technical notices (with your consent where required).
Comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes.

We may share your personal data with:

Service providers: Third-party suppliers who support our business operations (e.g., IT, hosting, analytics).
Professional advisers: Legal and financial advisers, auditors.
Regulatory authorities: HMRC, ICAEW and other regulatory bodies as required by law.

We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law.

7. International Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside the UK. Where we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typical retention periods:

Enquiry data: 2 years from last contact.
Client engagement data: 7 years from end of engagement (to meet statutory requirements).
Marketing data: Until you withdraw consent.

9. Your Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

Access and obtain a copy of your personal data.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
Restrict or object to processing of your data.
Data portability.
Withdraw consent at any time when we rely on consent to process your data.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

10. Security

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe we may have information about a child, please contact us and we will delete the data.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated date at the bottom of this page and, where appropriate, notify you of significant changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact:

U&W Chartered Accountants
452 Manchester Road
Stockport
Greater Manchester
SK4 5DL

Email: enquiries@uwaccountancy.com
Phone: 0161 443 2280

Last updated: 19/4/2025