Employee data – policy on retention periods

Our aim is to retain employee data for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which
the personal data is processed and the table below shows the retention periods for
the employee data that we may hold.

Some personal data is retained for employment purposes, to assist in the running of the business and/or to enable individuals to be paid, in which case we generally follow the ‘recommended’ retention period.

Some personal data is retained for statutory purposes, in which case we follow the ‘statutory’ retention period.

Record	Retention period
Accident books, accident records, accident reports	Three years from the date of the last entry (or, if the accident involves a child/ young adult, then u ntil that person reaches age 21 ).
Accounting records	Three years for private companies, six years for public limited companies.
Actuarial valuation reports	Permanently
Application forms and interview notes (for unsuccessful candidates)	Six months.
Assessments under health and safety regulations and records of consultations with safety representatives and committees	Permanently
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) records of tests and examinations of control systems and protective equipment	Five years from the date on which the tests were carried out.
DBS, PVG, AccessNI certificates/copies	Six months.
DBS certificate information required by CQC	Three years or until superseded if less.
Driving licence, vehicle insurance, MOT certificate details	One year after expiry unless renewed.
Expatriate records and other records relating to foreign employees (e.g. visa, work permits, etc	Six years after employment ceases.
Income tax and NI returns, income tax records and correspondence with HMRC	Not less than three years after the end of the financial year to which they relate.
Inland Revenue/HMRC approvals	Permanently.
Medical records and details of biological tests under the Control of Lead at Work Regulations	40 years from the date of the last entry.
Medical records as specified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)	40 years from the date of the last entry.
Medical records under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations, med ical records containing details of employees exposed to asbestos and medical examination certificates	40 years from the date of the last entry (medical records); four years from the date of issue (medical examination certificates).
Medical records under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999	Until the person reaches 75 years of age, but in any event for at least 50 years.
National minimum wage records	Three years after the end of the pay reference period following the one that the records cover.
Parental leave records	Five years from birth/adoption of the child or 18 years if the child receives a disability living allowance
Pension scheme investment policies	12 years from the ending of any benefit payable under the policy.
Pension scheme money purchase details	Six years after transfer or value taken.
Pensioners ’ records	12 years after benefit ceases.
Personnel files and training records (including disciplinary records and working time records)	Six years after employment ceases.
Records relating to children and young adults	Until the child/young adult reaches age 21
Redundancy details, calculations of payments, refunds, notification to the Secretary of State	Six years from the date of redundancy.
Retirement Benefits Schemes – records of notifiable events, for example, relating to incapacity	Six years from the end of the scheme year in which the event took place.
Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence details	One year after expiry unless renewed.
Senior executives’ recor ds (that is, those on a senior management team or their equivalents)	Permanently.
SMP, SAP, SSPP records, calculations, certificates (Mat B1s) or other medical evidence , notifications, declarations and notices	Three years after the end of the tax year in which the leave period ends.
Statutory Sick Pay records, calculations, certificates, self – certificates	Six years after the employment ceases.
Time cards	Two years after audit.
Trade union agreements	10 years af ter ceasing to be effective.
Trust deeds and rules	Permanently
Trustees’ minute books	Permanently.
Wage/salary records (also overtime, bonuses, expenses)	Six years
Working time records	Two years from date on which they were made.
Works Council minutes	Permanently.