This privacy policy sets out how 3 Counties Accounts Training Services, which will be referred to as ‘3Cats’ uses and protects any information that we may collect from you.

3Cats is committed to being compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation and ensuring that your privacy is protected. Any personally identifiable information that we ask you to provide will only be used in line with this privacy policy.

This privacy policy is effective from 1st January 2018.
This privacy policy was last updated: 10th February 2025.

  1. Personal Information We Collect
    Personal data and information means information about a person or entity that can be identified and does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous or anonymised data).

We collect, use, store, and transfer different types of data about an individual or entity. This data can be grouped together into different classifications as follows:

  • Identity Data – includes title, first name, maiden name, last name, username, company name, date of birth, sex (gender), and nationality

  • Contact Data – includes billing address, postal address, email address, and telephone numbers

  • Financial Data – includes bank account or payment card details

  • Transaction Data – includes details about payments you made to us, refunds we provided to you

  • Health Data – includes medical history, current health status, medication information, and health-related assessments.

  • Profile Data – includes your username and password, application forms, reference ID, courses you have taken, educational history, future study plans, your interests, preferences, feedback, and survey responses

  • Usage Data – includes information on how you use our websites, online course materials, and any of our services we provide to you

  • Marketing and Communications Data – includes your preferences about receiving information from us, our third parties, and your communication method preferences

We also collect and may share Aggregated Data, which includes statistics or demographic information. This Aggregated Data may be derived from your personal data but is not classified as personal data under the law, as it does not reveal your identity. For instance, we might calculate the percentage of users who express interest by clicking on a link regarding the course timetable we are considering offering. However, if we combine Aggregated Data with personal data in a way that identifies you, we will treat the combined data as personal data, which will be handled in accordance with GDPR and this privacy policy.

We do not collect any data related to an individual’s religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual life, sexual orientation, trade union membership, health or biometric data, criminal convictions, offenses committed, or political opinions.

2. How We Collect Personal Information
We employ various methods to gather data, including:

  • Direct contact with us online (e.g., by completing our general inquiry and information request forms, engaging on social media)

  • Email communication (including attached documents)

  • Phone calls and written correspondence

  • Enrolment and creation of your online learning portal

  • Subscription to our services or publications

  • Requests for course information and updates

  • Participation in surveys

  • Entry into competitions or event sign-ups

  • Providing feedback

Additionally, there are automated technologies and interactions when we may collect Technical Data automatically about your computer, mobile device, browser actions, and patterns. We collect this data by using cookies and other similar methods. We may also receive Technical Data about you if you visit other websites that use cookies. See our section on Cookies, specifically.


We may also obtain personal data about you from our third-party service providers (refer to paragraph 4 below) and receive Contact Data from publicly available sources, such as Companies House and the Electoral Register in the UK.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing
Below are the purposes for which we use personal data:

  • To provide classroom-based and online educational courses
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Financial, Transaction, Profile, Usage, Technical, Marketing, and Communications
    BASIS: Performance of a contract; necessary for our legitimate interests (to deliver services)

  • To enrol students with 3Cats
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Profile
    BASIS: Performance of a contract

  • To manage enrolment processes, including payments and funding
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Financial, Transaction, Marketing, and Communications
    BASIS: Performance of a contract; necessary for our legitimate interests

  • To maintain our relationship with individuals or entities (e.g., notifying about privacy policy changes, requesting reviews, or conducting surveys)
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Profile, Usage, Marketing, and Communications
    BASIS: Performance of a contract; legal compliance; GDPR compliance; necessary for our legitimate interests (to improve how students access and use our services)

  • To troubleshoot, secure, test, analyse, maintain our IT systems, support, report, and manage data across all aspects of our IT, including this website
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Technical, Usage
    BASIS: Necessary for our legitimate interests (to prevent fraud, operate our business, ensure IT security, and comply with legal obligations including GDPR)

  • To deliver relevant online content, advertisements, promotions, and assess their effectiveness
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Profile, Usage, Marketing, and Communications
    BASIS: Necessary for our legitimate interests (to understand how students and potential students engage with our services, to develop our business, and to enhance the relevance of our courses)

  • To use analytics for improving our services (including our websites), courses, and student experiences
    TYPE OF DATA: Technical, Profile, Usage
    BASIS: Necessary for our legitimate interests (to understand our audience and provide relevant content, enhance business relevance, and support growth activities)

  • To make suggestions and recommendations about services and courses that may be of interest
    TYPE OF DATA: Identity, Contact, Technical, Usage, Profile
    BASIS: Necessary for our legitimate interests (to develop and expand our services and courses)

4. Sharing Your Information
If your course is funded by Lincolnshire County Council or the Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority, we may share relevant information with these organizations as needed to facilitate your participation and ensure compliance with funding requirements.

We uphold a strict “No Spam” policy, meaning we do not sell, rent, or share your email address with third parties without your consent, unless required by law. Your personal information will not be transferred outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).

If you are a member of our Mailing List, we will send you announcements, news, updates, and information about new products or services. You can choose to "Unsubscribe" from our Mailing List at any time, which will stop any further email communications from us.

We may share your personal data with the parties listed below for the purposes outlined in paragraph 3:

·        Service providers acting as processors based in England and Wales, who offer IT, system administration, and processing services, including: AAT, IAB, Lincolnshire County Council, Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority, Royal Mail, Trustpilot, and MailChimp.

·        Professional advisers acting as processors, such as auditors and OFSTED.

  • HM Revenue & Customs, regulators, and other authorities acting as processors or joint controllers based in the UK who require reporting and processing activities.

We require all third parties to uphold the security of your personal data in accordance with the law. We do not permit third-party service providers to use your data for their own purposes; they may only process it as specified and in line with our instructions.

·        5. How We Maintain Your Information
If you do not register for one of our courses, we will delete your personal information within one year. If you become a student, your information will be retained in our system for the duration of your contract. After your contract ends, we will archive your information and retain it for a minimum of six years for tax and legal reasons. Twelve months later, it will be permanently erased (anonymized).

·        To ensure your information remains secure, 3Cats employs appropriate precautions and implements suitable security measures to protect the information you have provided to us.

·        3Cats reserves the right to transfer information in connection with any potential sale of all or part of the company to a third party, specifically for the purpose of fulfilling contractual obligations. Additionally, we are not liable for any breaches of security or actions taken by third parties that receive your information.

·        We have processes in place to help prevent your data from being accidentally lost, misused, accessed without authorization, altered, or disclosed. Access is limited to staff, tutors, third-party contractors, and others who have a legitimate need to perform specific tasks, all of whom are required to comply with GDPR and uphold a duty of care.

·        In the event of a breach, we will notify you and the relevant regulatory authority and will comply with all legal requirements.

6. Controlling Your Personal Information
In certain circumstances, you may request the deletion of your personal information. We will comply with your request unless there is a legal reason preventing us from doing so.

·        We will not share your personal information with any third parties, except those mentioned in paragraph 4, unless legally required to do so.

·        You can request details about the personal information we hold about you by emailing us at admin@3cats.org.uk. There is no fee for accessing your personal data or exercising any other legal rights. However, we reserve the right to charge a reasonable fee if a request is clearly unfounded, repetitive, or excessive, or we may refuse to comply under those conditions.

·        We may ask for specific information to verify your identity and ensure that you have the right to access the personal data requested. This is a security measure to help prevent fraud and identity theft. We may also reach out to request additional information regarding your inquiry.

·        We aim to respond promptly to all valid requests within 30 days. However, if your request is complex or if you have submitted multiple requests, it may take longer. In such cases, we will keep you informed.

If you believe any information we hold about you, is incorrect or incomplete, please contact us as soon as possible at admin@3cats.org.uk.

7. International Data Transfers
We do not transfer your data outside of the UK.

8. Cookies
Cookies are small data files sent to your computer via your web browser from our web server. A cookie cannot access data on your computer or read cookie data from other sites.

You have the option to accept or decline cookies by adjusting your browser settings. Generally, you can find information on how to prevent your browser from accepting all cookies or to receive notifications when a cookie is being sent by consulting your browser’s help feature. If you choose not to accept cookies, your experience on our website and others may be affected, and some features may not function as intended.

9. Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your course purchase within 14 calendar days from the date the purchase contract is completed. This time frame is known as the “Cancellation Period.” Please be aware that if you redeem your voucher during the Cancellation Period, you are expressly requesting us to start providing the course materials, which means you forfeit your right to cancel the purchase and receive a refund.

10. Links to Other Websites
Our website may include links to other websites that may be of interest to you. Once you click on these links and leave our site, please be aware that we do not have control over those external websites and cannot be held responsible for the security and privacy of any information you provide there. These sites are not covered by this Privacy Policy, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form