Last updated: 18 September 2026
AccessSphere CIC respects your privacy and is committed to being clear about how we collect, use and protect your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use our website, contact us, join our mailing list, submit a service listing, purchase a digital product, share an experience with us, or otherwise interact with AccessSphere CIC.
1. Who we are
AccessSphere CIC is a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales.
Company name: AccessSphere CIC
Company number: 16945291
Registered office: 167–169 Great Portland Street, London, England, W1W 5PF
Website: accesssphere.co.uk
Email: admin@accesssphere.co.uk
For the purposes of UK data protection law, AccessSphere CIC is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.
2. What information we may collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.
When you contact us, we may collect your name, email address, organisation, the reason for your enquiry and any information you choose to include in your message.
When you request a free resource or join our mailing list, we may collect your name, email address, subscription preferences and information about how you interact with our emails.
When you submit a service for the AccessSphere directory, we may collect information about the service or organisation together with the name and contact details of the person making the submission.
When you purchase a digital product, we may collect your email address, the product purchased, date of purchase, amount paid and information required to administer your order. Payment card information is processed securely by Stripe. AccessSphere CIC does not receive or store your full payment card details.
If you contact Both Sides of the Care Line, suggest a topic or voluntarily share an experience, we may process the information you provide to us.
Please do not send confidential medical records, another person’s personal information, addresses or other identifying information unless it is genuinely necessary and you have the authority to provide it.
We may also collect technical information relating to use of our website, such as IP address, browser or device information, pages visited and cookie preferences where applicable.
3. Why we use your information and our lawful basis
| What we use information for | Our usual lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and messages | Legitimate interests, or taking steps at your request before entering a contract |
| Delivering a free resource you requested | Fulfilling your request and our legitimate interests in providing the service |
| Sending newsletters, updates and promotional emails where you have opted in | Consent |
| Processing and delivering digital-product purchases | Contract |
| Maintaining payment, accounting and tax records | Legal obligation |
| Reviewing and administering directory submissions | Legitimate interests and, where applicable, contract |
| Managing corrections, complaints and enquiries about listings | Legitimate interests |
| Protecting our website, preventing misuse and maintaining security | Legitimate interests and, where applicable, legal obligation |
| Developing AccessSphere services and understanding how people use them | Legitimate interests, using proportionate information |
| Processing sensitive information voluntarily provided in a contribution or story | Explicit consent or another lawful condition where applicable |
We decide which lawful basis applies before using personal information for a particular purpose.
We will not use personal information for a new purpose that is incompatible with the reason it was originally collected without considering whether another lawful basis and additional privacy information are required.
4. Health, disability and other sensitive information
Some conversations connected with social care, disability and accessibility may involve information classed as special category personal data under UK data protection law.
We do not ask people to provide more sensitive information than is necessary.
If you voluntarily provide information about your own health, disability or other sensitive circumstances for a story, contribution, enquiry or project, we will only use it where we have an appropriate lawful basis and an additional condition for processing special category information.
Where we rely on explicit consent, you can withdraw that consent.
Please do not disclose another person’s health information or other sensitive personal information unless you have their authority or another lawful basis for doing so.
5. Email marketing and free resources
Requesting a free resource does not automatically mean that you must receive marketing emails from us.
Where we ask for consent to send ongoing updates, that choice will be clearly explained.
Where you choose to subscribe, we may send occasional emails about care-floor insights, AccessSphere resources, Both Sides of the Care Line, new products, training or other relevant developments.
You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting:
Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.
We may retain a minimal suppression record where necessary to make sure we respect a previous request not to receive marketing.
The ICO confirms that people have an absolute right to object to direct marketing and organisations must respect opt-outs.
6. Digital products and payments
AccessSphere CIC may sell downloadable digital products and educational resources.
Payments are processed through Stripe.
Stripe receives the information necessary to process your payment and applies its own privacy and security practices.
AccessSphere CIC may retain information about your purchase, such as your email address, product purchased, date, amount and transaction reference, for order administration, customer support, accounting and legal purposes.
Purchasing a product does not automatically subscribe you to marketing emails.
Where a marketing option is offered at checkout, you will only be added to the relevant marketing list if you choose to opt in.
7. MailerLite and email communications
We use MailerLite to manage email subscribers, deliver requested resources, send email sequences and communicate with people who have chosen to receive updates.
Information stored in MailerLite may include your email address, name where supplied, subscriber groups, subscription preferences and information about interactions with our emails.
We use this information to deliver relevant communications and understand whether our emails are useful.
8. Directory listings
Businesses, charities, community organisations and other services may submit information for consideration in the AccessSphere directory.
Some listing information is intended to be public, such as the service name, location, contact details and accessibility information.
Contact details marked as internal are used by AccessSphere CIC for administration and are not intended to be displayed publicly.
Submission of a service does not automatically guarantee publication.
If information is reported as inaccurate, we may contact the service or person who submitted it to clarify or update the listing.
9. Both Sides of the Care Line and shared experiences
People may contact AccessSphere CIC or Both Sides of the Care Line to suggest topics, share experiences or express interest in contributing to future content.
Submitting an experience does not mean it will automatically be published.
If we wish to use an identifiable person’s story, quotation, recording, interview or other contribution publicly, we will discuss the intended use and any necessary consent with that person first.
Where appropriate, information may be anonymised or identifying details changed or removed.
Please avoid sending identifying information about another person in an initial message.
10. Who we may share information with
We may use trusted service providers to help us operate AccessSphere CIC.
These may include MailerLite for email communications, Stripe for payment processing, our website hosting and technology providers, email providers, professional advisers such as accountants where necessary, and regulatory or public authorities where disclosure is required by law.
We only share information where there is a legitimate reason to do so and aim to limit the information shared to what is necessary.
AccessSphere CIC does not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers.
11. International data transfers
Some technology providers we use may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are used in accordance with UK data protection law.
These may include UK adequacy regulations or appropriate contractual safeguards.
12. How long we keep information
We do not keep personal information indefinitely simply because we have collected it.
Contact and general enquiry information will normally be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to the enquiry and manage any continuing relationship.
Where an enquiry does not lead to an ongoing relationship, we would normally aim to review it for deletion within approximately 24 months.
Marketing subscription information may be retained while you remain subscribed. If you unsubscribe, we may retain limited information on a suppression list so that we can respect your preference not to receive further marketing.
Directory submission information may be retained while a listing remains active and for a reasonable administrative period after it is removed.
Information relating to digital purchases, financial transactions and accounting may need to be retained for longer to comply with legal, tax and accounting requirements.
Company tax records can generally need to be retained for six years from the end of the relevant accounting period, and sometimes longer in specified circumstances.
We may retain information for longer where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, resolve disputes, comply with legal requirements or respond to regulatory matters.
13. Cookies and website analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate correctly, remember preferences, understand website usage and, where enabled, support analytics.
Cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the website may be used without consent where permitted by law.
Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, we will ask you before placing them.
You can manage your cookie preferences through the website’s cookie controls and through your browser settings.
If we materially change the analytics or advertising technologies used on the website, we will update this policy and our cookie information where necessary.
14. How we protect your information
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
No online service can guarantee absolute security, but we aim to use appropriate security measures and reputable service providers.
Access to personal information is limited to those who reasonably need it for the purposes described in this policy.
15. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights relating to your personal information, including the right to ask for access to information we hold about you, ask us to correct inaccurate information, ask us to delete information in certain circumstances, ask us to restrict processing, object to certain uses of your information, receive certain information in a portable format, and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
Not every right applies in every situation.
To exercise a privacy right, contact:
We may need to confirm your identity before completing a request.
ICO guidance confirms that people must be told about their data protection rights and how they can exercise them.
16. Automated decision-making
AccessSphere CIC does not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about individuals.
If that changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide the information required by law.
17. Complaints
If you have a concern about how AccessSphere CIC has handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to investigate.
Email: admin@accesssphere.co.uk
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator.
Information about making a complaint is available from the ICO.
18. Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites, services or platforms.
AccessSphere CIC is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. You should review their privacy information when leaving our website or using their services.
19. Changes to this Privacy Policy
AccessSphere CIC may update this Privacy Policy when our services, technology, legal obligations or use of personal information change.
The latest version will be published on this page with the date of the most recent update.
Where a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will provide additional notice where appropriate.
20. Contact us
For questions about this Privacy Policy or how AccessSphere CIC uses personal information:
AccessSphere CIC
Company number: 16945291
167–169 Great Portland Street
London
England
W1W 5PF
Email: admin@accesssphere.co.uk
Website: accesssphere.co.uk