Privacy Policy

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PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: 30 August 2026

1. WHO WE ARE

This website and the Next Generation Wills service are operated by Next Generation Consultants Ltd, company number 16716183, trading as Next Generation Wills.

For the purposes of data-protection law, Next Generation Consultants Ltd is the controller of the personal information described in this policy.

Our contact details are:

Privacy contact: Sophie Swanborough

Address: 4 Coronation Terrace, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0AU

Email: sophie@nextgenerationwills.co.uk

Telephone: 07368 386540

ICO registration reference: ZC073979

We process personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.

2. WHEN THIS POLICY APPLIES

This policy applies when you:

• Visit our website.
• Download a resource.
• Make an enquiry.
• Book a consultation.
• Become a client.
• Receive marketing from us.
• Communicate with us.
• Are identified in another person’s estate-planning instructions.

A client may provide information about family members, executors, trustees, attorneys, guardians, beneficiaries or professional advisers.

We may not contact every person named in a client’s confidential instructions immediately. Where required, we will provide privacy information at an appropriate time or rely on an exemption permitted by law.

3. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Depending on your relationship with us and the service requested, we may collect the following information.

Identity and contact information

This may include:

• Your name.
• Address.
• Date of birth.
• Email address.
• Telephone number.

Identity-verification information

This may include:

• A copy of your passport or driving licence.
• Proof of address.
• The results of electronic identity or verification checks.

Family and relationship information

This may include:

• Marital or civil-partnership status.
• Details of children, relatives and dependants.
• Details of beneficiaries, executors, trustees, attorneys and guardians.
• Information about family relationships and personal circumstances.

Estate-planning and matter information

This may include:

• Your wishes and instructions.
• Meeting notes.
• Questionnaires.
• Recommendations.
• Draft documents.
• Signed documents.
• Approvals and correspondence.

Financial and asset information

This may include:

• Property.
• Savings and investments.
• Pensions.
• Insurance policies.
• Business interests.
• Liabilities.
• Gifts.
• Billing and payment records.

Sensitive information

Where relevant to your estate planning, we may collect information concerning:

• Health.
• Disability.
• Mental capacity.
• Religion or beliefs.
• Ethnicity.
• Other sensitive personal or family circumstances.

Payment information

Where payments are processed by a bank or payment provider, we will normally receive transaction records rather than your full payment-card details.

Marketing information

This may include:

• How you heard about us.
• Your marketing preferences.
• Records of consent.
• Records of unsubscribing or opting out.
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Technical and website information

This may include:

• Your IP address.
• Device and browser information.
• Pages visited.
• Form submissions.
• Cookie identifiers and preferences.
• Website-security information.

Please do not provide information that is not reasonably necessary. Where we need particularly sensitive information, we will explain why it is needed and provide a secure method of sending it where reasonably possible.

4. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION

We may collect information:

• Directly from you through website forms, downloads, email, telephone calls, video meetings, consultations, questionnaires, Engagement Documents and payments.
• From another person involved in the matter, such as a joint client, family member, referrer, attorney or professional adviser.
• From publicly available sources, such as Companies House, HM Land Registry or professional directories.
• From suppliers used to book meetings, verify identity, process payments, host the website, deliver email or operate secure client systems.
• Automatically through essential website technologies and, where you consent, analytics or similar cookies.

5. HOW AND WHY WE USE INFORMATION

Responding to enquiries and arranging consultations

We use your information to:

• Respond to questions.
• Provide initial information.
• Arrange meetings.
• Prepare estimates or quotations.

Our lawful basis is taking steps at your request before entering into a contract and our legitimate interest in managing enquiries.

Providing estate-planning services

We use your information to:

• Open and manage your matter.
• Understand your circumstances and wishes.
• Make appropriate recommendations.
• Prepare and check documents.
• Communicate with you.
• Complete the agreed service.

Our lawful basis is the performance of our contract with you, taking steps before entering into a contract and our legitimate interest in providing an accurate service.

Verifying identity and protecting clients

We may use information to:

• Confirm identity.
• Prevent fraud.
• Investigate suspected misuse.
• Protect clients and the business.

Our lawful basis is compliance with legal obligations where applicable and our legitimate interest in preventing fraud and protecting our services.

Payments, accounts and taxation

We use information to:

• Process and record payments.
• Issue invoices and receipts.
• Maintain accounting records.
• Meet our tax obligations.

Our lawful basis is the performance of our contract, compliance with legal obligations and our legitimate interest in managing the business.

Complaints, insurance and legal rights

We may use information to:

• Investigate and respond to complaints.
• Notify or communicate with our insurer.
• Obtain professional advice.
• Establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

Our lawful basis is the performance of our contract, compliance with legal obligations and our legitimate interest in protecting our legal rights.

Operating and securing our website and systems

We may use information to:

• Operate the website.
• Maintain the security of our systems.
• Diagnose technical problems.
• Prevent misuse.
• Understand how the website is used.
• Improve our services.

Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in operating and protecting the business. We rely on consent where required for non-essential cookies.

Service communications and review reminders

We may use your contact details to send:

• Appointment confirmations.
• Matter updates.
• Requests for information or approval.
• Signing or registration instructions.
• Review reminders included within your service.

Our lawful basis is the performance of our contract and our legitimate interest in managing our relationship with you.

Marketing

We may send marketing where:

• You have consented.
• The law permits us to contact an existing customer about our own similar services.

You can opt out at any time.

Compliance with legal requirements

We may use or disclose information where required to comply with:

• A legal obligation.
• A court order.
• A request from a regulator or public authority.
• A lawful request from law enforcement.

6. SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION

Estate planning may require information about health, disability, mental capacity, religion or other sensitive matters.

We will only use this information where we have both:

• A lawful basis for using the information.
• An additional condition permitted by data-protection law.
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Depending on the circumstances, the additional condition may be your explicit consent or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

We will not treat acceptance of general terms as blanket consent for every 

use of sensitive information.

7. IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION

Where information is needed to:

• Assess an enquiry.
• Verify identity.
• Comply with the law.
• Prepare accurate documents.
• Perform our contract with you.

We may be unable to provide a quotation, begin work or complete the service without it.

We will explain what information is required and the likely consequence of not providing it where this is not obvious.

8. WHO WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH

We only share information where it is reasonably necessary, lawful and proportionate.

Depending on the service and systems being used, recipients may include:

• Microsoft, for business email, calendar, Microsoft Teams meetings, SharePoint, OneDrive and related Microsoft 365 services.
• HubSpot, for meeting scheduling and customer-relationship management.
• GoDaddy, for website hosting, website forms, security and enabled website analytics.
• Google, where reCAPTCHA is used to protect website forms.
• Mailchimp, where used for marketing emails and unsubscribe management.
• Countrywide Tax & Trust Corporation Ltd, where its specialist estate-planning systems or services are used.
• Legl, where used for secure identity verification.
• Legacy Portal, where used for secure communications, documents or matter administration.
• Banks and payment providers.
• Our accountant, insurer, IT provider and professional advisers.
• Another adviser or person involved in your matter where you ask us to share information or sharing is reasonably necessary to perform the contract.
• HM Revenue & Customs, the Information Commissioner’s Office, courts, law enforcement or another authority where disclosure is required or permitted by law.

Suppliers that process information only on our instructions are required to protect it and use it only for the agreed purpose.

Some recipients act as independent controllers for their own processing. Their own privacy information will apply to that processing.

We do not sell personal information.

9. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS

Some technology suppliers or their support teams may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where information is transferred to a country that is not covered by UK adequacy regulations, we will use an appropriate legal safeguard where required.

Safeguards may include:

• The UK International Data Transfer Agreement.
• The UK Addendum to the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.
• Another transfer mechanism approved under UK data-protection law.
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We may also use additional technical or contractual protections where appropriate.

You can contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to your personal information.

10. HOW LONG WE KEEP INFORMATION

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet our legal, accounting, insurance and record-keeping obligations.

Enquiries

Information relating to an enquiry that does not become a client matter will normally be kept for up to 24 months after the last meaningful contact.

We may retain it for longer where necessary in connection with a complaint, potential claim, consent record or legal obligation.

Client and matter records

Client and matter records will normally be kept for at least six years after the matter closes.

Selected records relating to wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney, mental capacity, recommendations, approvals and execution may be retained for longer where reasonably necessary because the documents may remain relevant for many years.

Financial and tax records

Financial and tax records will normally be kept for six years after the relevant accounting period or longer where required by law or an active enquiry.

Identity-verification records

Identity-verification information will be retained for the period required by applicable law, our contract, fraud-prevention requirements or the verification provider’s documented retention arrangements.

Marketing records

Marketing information will be kept while you remain subscribed.

If you opt out, we may keep a minimal suppression record so that we do not contact you again.

Website and cookie information

Website and cookie information will be kept in accordance with the relevant cookie duration and supplier settings.

Complaints and claims

Information relating to complaints, disputes or claims may be kept for as long as reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights and meet insurance requirements.

At the end of the relevant retention period, information will be securely deleted or anonymised where appropriate.

11. MARKETING

We may send you relevant news, information or details of our services by email where:

• You have consented.
• The electronic-mail soft opt-in applies to our own similar services.

We will provide a clear opportunity to opt out when collecting your details and in every marketing email.

You can unsubscribe at any time without affecting service communications or work you have already requested.

We may retain a minimal record of your opt-out so that your preference can be honoured.

We do not buy marketing lists or share your details with another organisation for its own marketing without valid permission.

12. COOKIES AND WEBSITE TECHNOLOGIES

Our website may use strictly necessary cookies and similar technologies to operate securely and provide essential functions.

We will ask for consent before setting non-essential analytics, advertising or similar technologies where consent is required.

You can accept or decline non-essential cookies through the website cookie banner. Refusing non-essential cookies will not prevent you from accessing the main website.

Our Cookie Notice will provide details of the relevant technologies, including:

• The provider.
• The purpose.
• The duration.
• Whether the technology is essential.

You can withdraw consent or change your preference through the available cookie controls. You may also delete or block cookies through your browser settings, although some website functions may be affected.

13. SECURITY

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or destruction.

These measures include, where appropriate:

• Access controls.
• Secure account settings.
• Multi-factor authentication.
• Secure supplier selection.
• Device and account protection.
• Backup and recovery arrangements.
• Confidentiality requirements.

No internet or email system is completely secure.

Please use any secure portal or verification service we provide for identity documents or particularly sensitive information. Contact us promptly if you believe that information may have been lost, disclosed or accessed without authorisation.

14. AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING

We do not make decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you solely by automated means.

If this changes, we will provide the information and safeguards required by law.

15. CHILDREN AND INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE

Our services are intended for adults, but estate-planning instructions may contain information about children and other family members.

We only collect information about children where it is reasonably necessary for the matter.

If you provide information about another person, please avoid providing unnecessary sensitive information.

Where appropriate and lawful, you should make that person aware that their information has been provided to us.

16. YOUR RIGHTS

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Ask for access to your personal information.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Ask us to erase information where the law gives you that right.
• Ask us to restrict how information is used.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Object to direct marketing.
• Receive certain information you provided in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
• Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

To exercise a right, contact sophie@nextgenerationwills.co.uk.

We may ask for information reasonably needed to confirm your identity.

We will normally respond within one month. The law permits additional time where a request is particularly complex or involves several requests.

These rights are not absolute. If an exemption applies, we will explain our decision where the law allows.

17. COMPLAINTS TO THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE

Please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to resolve your concern.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Website: ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

18. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES

Our website may contain links to websites or platforms operated by other organisations.

Those organisations control their own websites and privacy practices. Their privacy policies will apply when you visit or provide information through their services.

19. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this policy when our services, suppliers or legal obligations change.

The current version will be published on our website with its effective date.

If a change materially affects an existing client, we will provide an appropriate notice.

20. CONTACT US

Privacy contact: Sophie Swanborough

Next Generation Consultants Ltd trading as Next Generation Wills

Company number: 16716183

Registered in England and Wales

Registered office: 4 Coronation Terrace, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0AU

Email: sophie@nextgenerationwills.co.uk

Telephone: 07368 386540

Website: nextgenerationwills.co.uk

ICO registration reference: ZC073979