Privacy Policy

Who I am

This website is run by Phoebe Allcott, trading as Phoebe the Freelancer (“I”, “me”, “my”) — a freelance website designer based in the United Kingdom. For anything to do with your privacy or your data, I am the “data controller”, and you can reach me at phoebethefreelancer@gmail.com.

What information I collect

I only collect what I need to answer your enquiry and, if you go on to work with me, to deliver your website. That includes:

• Enquiry details — when you use the contact form, email me, or call: your name, business name, email address, phone number, and whatever you tell me about your business and what you need.
• Project information — if we work together, the content, images, logins and business details you share so I can build your site.
• Billing details — the information needed to invoice you and keep proper records.

I do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18, and I don’t collect sensitive categories of data (such as health or ethnicity) — please don’t send them.

Why I use it, and my lawful basis

• To reply to your enquiry and discuss whether I can help — because it’s in both our legitimate interests to respond, and to take steps towards a possible contract.
• To provide the service you’ve hired me for — because it’s necessary to perform our contract.
• To meet legal and tax obligations — for example, keeping invoices and records HMRC requires me to keep.

Who I share it with

I don’t sell your information, and I don’t share it for advertising. I only pass it to trusted providers where it’s genuinely needed to run my business, such as:

• the company that hosts this website and, where used, processes contact-form submissions;
• my email provider (Google), through which I receive and reply to enquiries;
• my accountant or HMRC, where the law requires it.

These providers may store data on secure servers, which can include locations outside the UK; where that happens, appropriate safeguards are in place.

Cookies and this website

This site is deliberately lightweight. It does not use advertising or tracking cookies, and it doesn’t profile you. It does load fonts from Google Fonts to display properly, which means your browser contacts Google’s servers and Google receives your IP address as part of that request. That’s the only third-party connection the site makes.

How long I keep it

• Enquiries that don’t become projects — kept for up to 12 months, then deleted.
• Client and billing records — kept for 6 years after our work ends, as required for UK tax purposes, then deleted.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• ask for a copy of the information I hold about you;
• have it corrected if it’s wrong, or deleted where appropriate;
• object to, or ask me to restrict, how I use it;
• ask me to transfer it to you or another provider.

To exercise any of these, just email me at phoebethefreelancer@gmail.com and I’ll respond within one month.

Complaints

I hope you’ll come to me first so I can put things right. But you also have the right to complain to the UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this policy

If I change how I handle your information, I’ll update this page and change the “last updated” date at the top. For anything significant, I’ll do my best to let affected clients know directly.