The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of the Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Welsh Assembly.
The Life Assurance Scheme allows executors or administrators for the estates of NHS or Social Care staff who have contracted Coronavirus (COVID-19), and unfortunately died as a result, to apply for a one-off payment via a legal representative.
Why we process your information
We will use the information you have given via a Life Assurance Scheme application to:
- discuss and assess eligibility and qualification for the scheme
- check for fraud and errors
- manage any payments made to the deceased person’s estate
- administer the Life Assurance Scheme
Our purposes for processing personal data within the Life Assurance Scheme are to ensure payment to claimants following the death-in-service of an NHS staff member or social care worker as a result of caring, supporting with, treating, testing or diagnosing Coronavirus (COVID-19), or working in another NHS setting or service in the same workplace where these activities are taking place.
Upon application or declaration, potential claimants will provide their specific and informed consent to have their personal data processed.
NHSBSA will keep a record of all the processing we do under these powers to make it lawful.
Other lawful purposes specific to COVID-19
Under specific regulations issued by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, there are temporary ‘COVID-19 purposes’ for processing personal data. The following apply to the Life Assurance Scheme:
- monitoring and managing the response to COVID-19 by health and social care bodies and the government
- delivering services to patients, clinicians, the health services and adult social care services workforce and the public about and in connection with COVID-19
NHSBSA process this information in accordance with the law.
In Wales, this purpose is under formal Directions from the Welsh Ministers, in exercise of powers conferred on them by sections 23, 24, 203(9) and (10) and 204(3) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006(1).
Claimant information processed
- full name
- address
- contact details (telephone or email)
- grant of probate or letters of administration (only for applications that are approved)
- payment details
Sharing your information
The main reason personal data is shared as part of this scheme is to administer the scheme and process payments to applicants:
- as required by law
- to confirm the information provided
- to make payments
- to secure the effective and efficient delivery of NHS and related services
Your information will not be transferred outside of the UK.
To administer the Life Assurance Scheme, the information you provide us will be shared with:
- the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in relation to overseeing NHSBSA’s administration of the scheme and as part of the decision-making process
- NHS England as part of the decision-making process
- NHS Pensions Administrator and Welsh Government representatives (where applicable) as part of the decision-making process
- NHS Employers of the deceased person(s) in order to assist the claimant with the Life Assurance Scheme application process
- the Health Secretary for approval of any rejected applications
Patient and medical data of the deceased will also be processed as part of the Life Assurance Scheme and subject to the duty of confidentiality and the Caldicott Principles.
Keeping your personal information
Because our purposes for processing personal data within the scheme are limited and justified under the defined purposes within Control of Patient Information Regulations and Coronavirus Act, any personal data gathered will be deleted when those purposes no longer apply.
View the NHSBSA COVID-19 privacy notice for more information.
Financial data will be retained for a period of up to 7 years (6 years plus the year the data was collected) in accordance with usual retention periods.
Your rights
The information you provided will be managed as required by Data Protection Law.
You have the right to:
- receive a copy of the information NHSBSA hold about you
- request your information be changed if you believe it was not correct at the time you provided it
- request that your information be deleted if you believe NHSBSA are processing it for longer than is necessary
Find out more about your rights and how we process information.
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