What we do with your personal information

We collect your personal information so we can:

• contact you
• identify you
• work out how we can help you, and
• look at what other services might help.

We get this information from you when we work with you. We also collect your information from other people and organisations. Sometimes we create and record information about you.

There's certain information we need, to be able to give you a benefit or payment. You can choose not to give us this information but it means we can't pay you.

We use your information to:

• make decisions about you
• look at how we operate
• design new services or tools.

When we use your information, we'll identify you when we need to help you. We'll try not to identify you when we look at how we operate and design new services or tools.

Sometimes we need to share your information with people or organisations outside of the Ministry of Social Development.

We share your information when:

• our reason for sharing matches the reason we collected it
• we have a specific legal reason
• you give us permission to share it.

We are committed to respecting your information and keeping it safe. We know your information is very important and take our commitment seriously.

We have systems and safeguards in place to control how we collect, manage and use your information. This helps us use your information appropriately and keep it safe.

You can see and manage some of your information online in MyMSD or you can ask us for a copy.

You can also ask us to correct anything if it's not right.

Questions or Concerns

If you have a question about the information on your file, or a concern about how we've handled your information, you can:

• visit your nearest service centre,
• email our Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@msd.govt.nz

Complaints

If you would like to make a complaint, you can:

• follow the complaints process
• or email our Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@msd.govt.nz