The short version
- We collect only what you tell us. We never connect to your bank.
- Your plan data is stored in London.
- We never sell your data or share it with advertisers.
- You can delete your account, and your data with it, whenever you like.
01Who we are
The Long Term is run by The Long Term Limited. We are the controller of the personal data described here, which means we decide how and why it is used.
This policy covers our website, thelongterm.co.uk, and our app, app.thelongterm.co.uk (together, "The Long Term"). Questions about it can go to info@thelongterm.co.uk.
02What we collect
We only collect what we need to build and run your plan. That falls into five groups.
Details you give us to set up your account
Your name, email address and a password. We store a scrambled version of the password (a one-way hash), never the password itself. If you choose to sign in with Google, Google shares your name, email address and profile picture with us. It does not share your Google password.
Your answers and financial picture
Your answers to the Money Identity questions, and the figures you add yourself: income, spending, savings, debts, accounts, balances and the goals you are working towards. We never connect to your bank, and we can't see anything you haven't typed in.
What we work out from them
Your financial identity, your plan and your Money Moves. These are produced by our software from the information above.
How you use The Long Term
Which features you use, and when you complete a Money Move. We also keep technical records such as your IP address, browser and device type, and error reports when something breaks.
Messages
Anything you send us by email, and the service emails we send you.
03How we use it, and why we're allowed to
UK data protection law says we need a lawful reason (a "lawful basis") for each use of your data. Here is each one.
| What we do | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Create and run your account, and sign you in | Contract: we need it to provide the service you asked for |
| Turn your answers and figures into your financial identity, plan and Money Moves | Contract |
| Send service emails, such as sign-in links, security alerts and changes to these terms | Contract |
| Keep The Long Term secure, prevent misuse and fix errors | Legitimate interests: keeping the service and your data safe |
| Understand, in aggregate, which features help people, so we can improve them | Legitimate interests |
| Send news and tips about The Long Term | Consent. You can unsubscribe in any email or in your settings |
| Keep records the law requires, and respond to lawful requests | Legal obligation |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have weighed them against your rights. You can object at any time (see Your rights).
We do not sell your personal data, and we don't share it with advertisers.
04How your plan is produced
Your financial identity, plan and Money Moves are produced automatically by our software, using the answers and figures you give us and some general assumptions (for example, about inflation). They are suggestions, not decisions. Nothing happens to your money unless you act on them yourself, so they have no legal or similarly significant effect on you.
If you would like a person on our team to look over anything the software has produced for you, email info@thelongterm.co.uk.
06Data sent outside the UK
Some of the providers above are based in the United States. When your data goes there, we rely on one of the protections UK law recognises: the UK–US "data bridge" where the provider is certified under it, or the ICO's International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum otherwise. Your plan data itself is stored in London.
07How long we keep it
- While your account is open, we keep what you've given us so your plan keeps working.
- When you delete your account (you can do this in the app's settings), we remove your personal data from our live systems straight away. Our database keeps a recovery history of only a few hours, so any remaining copy is gone within a day.
- Error reports are deleted automatically within 90 days.
- Emails you send us are kept for up to two years, so we have a record if you get in touch again.
- If the law requires us to keep something for longer (for example, payment records once we charge for The Long Term), we keep only that, for only as long as required.
08Keeping it safe
Your data is encrypted whenever it travels between you and us, and while it is stored in our database. Access is limited to the people who need it to run and support the service. No system is ever completely secure, but we take this seriously. Read how we protect your data.
09Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask us to:
- give you a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- correct anything that is wrong or incomplete
- delete your data
- restrict how we use it, or stop using it for a particular purpose
- send your data to you, or to another service, in a format a computer can read
- stop anything we do based on your consent, at any time
Email info@thelongterm.co.uk to use any of these rights. We'll reply within one month, and it's free. We may need to confirm who you are first.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, please tell us first at info@thelongterm.co.uk. We'll acknowledge your complaint within 30 days. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
11Age
The Long Term is for people aged 18 and over. We don't knowingly collect data about anyone younger. If you think we have, tell us and we'll delete it.
12Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top. If a change affects how we use your data, we'll email you before it takes effect.
13Contact us
The Long Term LimitedEmail: info@thelongterm.co.uk