Privacy Policy

We are fully independent

We are fully independent and directly authorised by the FCA. This means we are able to give you the most appropriate advice to you without being restricted by commercial agreements.

Your interests come first

Our whole philosophy is borne out of many years' experience working in a professional practice environment. Our existing clients would confirm our ongoing commitment to this philosophy.

We are highly qualified

Continual professional development is an expectation all of our team place upon themselves regardless of how qualified they already are, not just as a requirement for qualified advisers.

Trust is core to our service

Our clients have told us that trust is absolutely essential for them, therefore we hold ourselves to this value and only ever act in our clients’ interest.

Integrity and transparency

We are committed to always explaining our fees and our regulatory obligations before any work is carried out.

Berkshire IFA Limited takes the privacy of personal data seriously - we therefore ask you to
please read the following important information which explains how we collect, store and use
your personal data.

Berkshire IFA Limited is registered under the General Data Protection Regulations GPDR 2018.

  1. Who are we?

    Company Address:- Albany House, 14 Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BJ

    Company Details:- Berkshire IFA Limited Company Registered No 11248066, Registered
    in England and Wales

    Registered office:-
    Berkshire IFA Limited, Albany House, 14 Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BJ. Trading
    as a Limited Company.

    Berkshire IFA Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for
    the provision of consumer finance.

    Main Office Address – 220, Wharfedale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Wokingham RG41 5TP

    Newbury Office Address – Oxford House, 12-20 Oxford St, Newbury RG14 1JB

  2. What do we mean by Personal Data?

    By personal data (or personal information), we mean information that relates to you and is
    used to identify you, either directly or in conjunction with other material we hold.

    Your Personal Data may identify you directly, for example your name, address, date of
    birth, national insurance number. Your Personal Data may also identify you indirectly, for
    example, your employment situation, your physical and mental health history, or any other
    information that could be associated with your cultural or social identity.

    In the context of Berkshire IFA Limited providing, you with advice and guidance in
    relation to your requirements your Personal Data may include:

    • Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Nationality, Civil/Marital Status, Contact Details,
      Addresses and any documents that are necessary to verify your identity

    • Employment and remuneration information

    • Bank account details, tax information, commitments for liabilities such as loans and
      credit cards, personal credit history, sources of income and expenditure

    • Health status and history (this is referred to as Special Category Data)

    • Existing Plan information

    • If you have parental responsibility for children under the age of 13, it is also very
      likely that we will record information on our systems that relates to those children
      and potentially, to their Special Category Data.

  3. Why do we collect information from you?

    We use your personal information for the following:

    • Provision of services and advice or to provide you with the information, products and
      services you have requested from us.

    • To comply with regulation and legislation in relation to anti-money laundering
      regulation and the Financial Services & Markets Act.

    In order to undertake our services for you, we have the right to use your Personal Data
    provided it is in our legitimate business interest. We may be required to share this data
    with providers in relation to obtaining illustrations to make a recommendation to you,
    with our Compliance Service Provider in relation to any advice provided to you or make
    contact with you in relation to the service you have received.

  4. How do we collect information?

    Most information we obtain will be directly from you during our meetings and discussions
    or this may be in writing, including via email. We may also need to obtain information
    from third parties in relation to verifying your identity if this is done electronically.
    With regards to electronic ID checks, we would not require your consent but will inform
    you of how such software operates and the purpose for which it is used.

  5. What do we mean by Special Category Data?

    Where you ask us to advise or guide you on certain elements such as insurance, ethical
    investments or retirement income, we will ask you information about your ethnic origin,
    your health and medical history (Your Special Category Data). We will record and use your
    Special Category Data in order to make enquiries to find suitable products that may meet
    your aims and objectives and to provide you with advice or guidance regarding the
    suitability of any product that may be available to you.

    The arrangement of certain types of insurance may involve disclosure by you to us of
    information relating to historic or current criminal convictions or offences (together
    “Criminal Disclosures”). This relates to insurance related activities such as
    underwriting, claims and fraud management.

    We will use Special Category Data and any Criminal Disclosures in the same way as Your
    Personal Data generally, as set out in this Privacy Notice. In order to process your
    Special Category Data however, we do require explicit consent.

  6. How do we protect your personal information?

    We have strict safeguarding processes to ensure that we meet our obligations under the
    Data Protection Regulations 2018. Your privacy is important to us, and we will keep Your
    Personal Data secure in accordance with our legal responsibilities. We will take
    reasonable steps to safeguard Your Personal Data against it being accessed unlawfully or
    maliciously by a third party.

    We will:

    • Record and store your Personal Data in our paper files and electronic files on our
      computer systems, which can only be accessed by Berkshire IFA Limited staff when it is
      necessary to provide our service to you and to perform any administration tasks
      associated with or incidental to that service

    • Submit your Personal Data to providers both electronically or via paper-based forms to
      allow us to advise you or process your application for a product, or to obtain
      information as required as part of our services

    • Use your Personal Data to respond to any queries you have on your policies under our
      Agency

    We also expect you to take reasonable steps to safeguard your own privacy when
    transferring information to us.

    Your Personal Data will be retained by us either electronically or in paper format for a
    minimum of six years, or in instances whereby we have legal right to such information we
    will retain records indefinitely.

  7. What are your rights surrounding your personal information?

    Your enhanced rights under the GDPR include:

    • The right of access – we will provide a copy of your personal data within 30 days of
      requests. Requests can be made in writing, by phone or by email. We will not charge a
      fee for this unless we think your request is unfounded, excessive, or repetitive; in
      which case we will inform you before proceeding with your request.

    • The right of access – we can extend the time to respond by a further two months if
      your request is complex or we have received a number of requests from you, for example
      when these other requests relate to your individual rights

    • The right to rectification – you may ask us to rectify any of your personal data which
      you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We will respond within one month (this can be
      extended by two months where the request for rectification is complex). Requests can
      be made in writing, by phone or by email.

    • The right to erasure – you have the right to request ‘to be forgotten’, i.e. for us to
      delete all records of your personal data. We will comply with your request, unless we
      have a legal obligation to continue to hold your personal data (in which case we will
      inform you of the reason why we cannot delete the data).

  8. Who do we share your personal information with?

    We will only share your personal data with third parties when it is necessary for the
    service you have asked us to provide, and we will have contracts/safeguards in place to
    ensure that they comply with the GDPR and treat the privacy of your personal data with the
    same importance as we do.

  9. Reviews, Newsletters, and Important Financial Market information.

    Newsletters and Market Information:
    We may occasionally send you newsletters highlighting the latest events or trends within the
    UK or global financial markets, which could impact any pensions, investments, or other financial
    products that you hold with us.

    Products and Services:
    We may also make recommendations to you as part of our normal communications – this may include
    information about relevant additional products and services.

    Reviews:
    We are continually trying to improve the services we offer so would greatly appreciate any
    thoughts you may have. This type of feedback is extremely important to us.

    Therefore, you may receive review request from us directly, or through our third-party
    suppliers Unbiased, Vouched For and/or Trust Pilot. We will not request reviews through
    any other medium. Only your name and email address will be shared with them, and they will
    never share it with anyone outside Berkshire IFA Limited.

  10. Berkshire IFA Limited Group.

    Berkshire IFA Limited is part of a group of companies, while these companies are
    independent of any outside entities, they may share your information within the Berkshire
    IFA Group. This currently includes, Berkshire Advice Limited and Berkshire Wills Limited.

  11. Who to contact at Berkshire IFA Limited in relation to your Personal Data

    If you have any questions or comments about this document, or wish to contact Berkshire
    IFA Limited to exercise any of your rights that it sets out then please contact:

    The Compliance Director by email on [email protected], by telephone on 0118 334 3500
    or by writing to Albany House, 14 Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BJ.

    If we feel we have a legal right not to deal with your request, or to action it in
    different way to how you have requested, we will inform you of this at the time.

    You should make contact with us as soon as possible on you becoming aware of any
    unauthorised disclosure of your Personal Data, so that we may investigate and fulfil our
    own regulatory obligations.

    If you have any concerns or complaints as to how we have handled Your Personal Data you
    may lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection regulator, the ICO, who can be
    contacted through their website at
    https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
    or by writing to Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
    SK9 5AF.