Privacy Notice

DA Estate Planning

Last updated: 03/09/2026

DA Estate Planning respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit my website, make an enquiry, book a consultation, complete a questionnaire, instruct me, or use my estate planning services.

1. About DA Estate Planning

DA Estate Planning is the trading name of David Atkins, providing estate planning services to clients across England and Wales.

Business name: DA Estate Planning
Principal: David Atkins

Business correspondence address:
DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk
Website: daestateplanning.co.uk
ICO registration number: 00015379381

For data protection purposes, David Atkins trading as DA Estate Planning is the controller of the personal information collected and used.

2. What personal information I collect

I may collect and use personal information including:

  • your name;

  • address;

  • email address;

  • telephone number;

  • date of birth;

  • marital or relationship status;

  • details of your family circumstances;

  • details of children, dependants, beneficiaries, executors, trustees, guardians and attorneys;

  • property ownership information;

  • asset and liability information;

  • business or agricultural asset information;

  • pension, life policy or death-in-service information where relevant;

  • information about existing Wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney or estate planning documents;

  • your wishes, objectives and estate planning instructions;

  • payment and invoice information;

  • consultation notes, file notes and correspondence;

  • information provided through website forms, booking forms or questionnaires.

Estate planning can involve sensitive personal and family information. I will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for the service being discussed or provided.

3. Special category information

In some cases, I may need to collect information about health, capacity, vulnerability, care needs or other sensitive circumstances.

This may be relevant where, for example, capacity, vulnerability, Lasting Powers of Attorney, care-fee planning, medical evidence, family circumstances or safeguarding concerns need to be considered.

Health information is special category data under UK data protection law. Where special category information is required, I will only process it where necessary and where there is a lawful basis and appropriate special category condition for doing so, such as explicit consent where appropriate.

4. Information about other people

To provide estate planning services, I may need to record information about other people connected to you, such as:

  • your spouse, civil partner or partner;

  • children or dependants;

  • beneficiaries;

  • executors;

  • trustees;

  • guardians;

  • attorneys;

  • relatives;

  • professional advisers;

  • people who may be affected by your planning.

Where you provide information about another person, you should ensure that you have authority to provide that information where appropriate.

In some cases, it may not be appropriate to notify that person, for example where doing so would affect confidentiality, your instructions, or the proper provision of estate planning services.

5. How I collect information

I may collect personal information from:

  • you directly;

  • website enquiry forms;

  • online booking systems;

  • pre-meeting questionnaires;

  • Fillout forms or similar questionnaire tools;

  • email correspondence;

  • telephone calls;

  • WhatsApp Business messages;

  • SMS messages;

  • Google Meet consultations;

  • documents you provide;

  • family members or representatives, where appropriate;

  • professional advisers, where authorised;

  • public records or official bodies where relevant.

6. Why I use your personal information

I use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • arrange consultations;

  • prepare for meetings;

  • understand your circumstances, wishes and objectives;

  • provide estate planning guidance;

  • prepare Wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and related documents;

  • prepare client summaries, reports, drafts and signing instructions;

  • communicate with you;

  • issue invoices and process payments;

  • manage client records;

  • deal with queries, concerns or complaints;

  • maintain business records;

  • comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and professional obligations;

  • protect my legal position;

  • improve my website and services.

7. Lawful basis for using your information

I rely on one or more of the following lawful bases when using your personal information.

Contract

I process personal information where it is necessary to take steps before entering into a contract with you, or to perform the contract once you instruct me.

This includes responding to enquiries, arranging consultations, preparing documents and providing estate planning services.

Legal obligation

I may process personal information where necessary to comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory or other obligations.

Legitimate interests

I may process personal information where necessary for legitimate business interests, provided your interests and rights do not override those interests.

This may include managing client files, maintaining business records, improving services, dealing with complaints, preventing misuse of services, and protecting my legal position.

Consent

I may rely on consent for optional marketing communications or where explicit consent is appropriate for processing special category information, such as health or capacity-related information.

Where I rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. However, this may affect my ability to provide certain services if the information is necessary for your matter.

8. How I use your information

I will use your information to provide the services you have requested and to manage my relationship with you.

This may include:

  • reviewing information you provide;

  • preparing for consultations;

  • creating client summaries and reports;

  • preparing estate planning documents;

  • sending drafts, final documents and signing guidance;

  • keeping records of your instructions;

  • issuing invoices and payment information;

  • responding to future queries about documents prepared for you.

I do not sell your personal information.

9. Who I may share your information with

Where necessary, I may share your personal information with:

  • document drafting or estate planning support providers;

  • professional compliance advisers;

  • accountants or bookkeepers;

  • insurers or professional indemnity providers;

  • secure document storage providers, if used;

  • Will registration providers, if used;

  • HM Courts & Tribunals Service;

  • the Office of the Public Guardian;

  • HMRC or other official bodies where relevant;

  • solicitors, conveyancers, tax advisers, accountants or financial advisers where authorised or appropriate;

  • professional trustees or trust corporations where relevant;

  • IT, cloud storage, CRM, website, booking, form and business software providers;

  • payment providers or banks;

  • postal, courier or document delivery services;

  • regulators, courts, law enforcement bodies or other authorities where required by law.

Where I use third-party service providers, I take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate data protection and confidentiality arrangements are in place.

10. Systems and service providers

I may use secure business systems and service providers to manage my website, communications, forms, client records, documents, payments and business administration.

These may include systems such as:

  • Google Workspace, Gmail, Google Drive and Google Meet;

  • Squarespace or other website providers;

  • Fillout or other online questionnaire providers;

  • CRM or matter tracking systems;

  • payment and invoicing providers;

  • secure document storage or registration providers where used.

These providers may process information on my behalf as part of the services they provide.

11. Where your information is stored

Information may be stored electronically and, where necessary, in paper form.

Electronic information may be stored using secure business systems, cloud storage, email systems, CRM systems, business devices and document management processes.

Paper records or original documents, where held temporarily, will be kept securely and access will be restricted.

Unless confirmed separately in writing, DA Estate Planning does not provide long-term in-house storage of original Wills or other original legal documents.

12. International transfers

Some service providers may store or process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, I will rely on appropriate safeguards where required by data protection law, such as contractual protections, recognised transfer mechanisms, or provider arrangements designed to protect personal information.

13. How long I keep your information

I keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Because estate planning documents may remain relevant for many years, and issues may arise long after documents are prepared, client file information may need to be retained for an extended period.

Retention periods may depend on:

  • the type of service provided;

  • the nature of the documents prepared;

  • legal, tax, accounting or professional obligations;

  • potential complaint or claim periods;

  • whether information may be needed to answer future queries from you, your attorneys, executors, trustees or beneficiaries;

  • whether original documents or storage arrangements are involved.

I will not keep personal information for longer than necessary.

14. Marketing

I may contact you with service updates or information relevant to estate planning, for example where there are changes in law, tax rules, practice or services that may affect your planning.

I may also send marketing information about my services where you have consented or where otherwise permitted by law.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting:

enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk

I will not sell your information or share it with other companies for their own marketing purposes.

15. Cookies and website analytics

My website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. I may also use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the website and improve services.

Where required, I will ask for consent before using non-essential cookies or tracking technologies.

The ICO says non-essential cookies and similar technologies generally require user consent under PECR, and this can include technologies such as tracking pixels and advertising technologies.

Further information will be set out in my Cookie Policy.

16. Links to other websites

My website may contain links to other websites.

This Privacy Notice only applies to DA Estate Planning’s website and services. If you follow a link to another website, you should read that website’s own privacy notice.

17. Use of AI tools

DA Estate Planning may use technology to assist with administration, drafting support, document organisation, content preparation or business efficiency.

I do not knowingly enter client-identifiable information into public AI tools.

Where AI-assisted tools are used within business systems, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate confidentiality, security and data protection safeguards are applied.

18. Security

I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Security measures may include:

  • secure business systems;

  • password protection;

  • restricted access;

  • separate password sharing where appropriate;

  • secure email and cloud storage arrangements;

  • business device security;

  • appropriate document handling procedures;

  • careful use of postal or courier services for important documents.

You are responsible for keeping your own email account, phone, devices and passwords secure.

19. Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights:

  1. the right to be informed;

  2. the right of access;

  3. the right to rectification;

  4. the right to erasure;

  5. the right to restrict processing;

  6. the right to data portability;

  7. the right to object;

  8. rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling.

Where processing is based on consent, you also have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. These rights do not apply in all circumstances. If you make a request, I will consider it and respond in accordance with data protection law.

I may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. I do not normally charge a fee for responding to data protection rights requests.

However, where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or where further copies are requested, I may be entitled to charge a reasonable fee or refuse the request where permitted by law.

20. Automated decision-making

I do not make decisions about clients based solely on automated processing which produce legal or similarly significant effects.

21. How to request information I hold about you

You can request a copy of personal information I hold about you by contacting:

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk

Post:
DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

I may ask you to provide proof of identity before releasing information.

22. Keeping your information accurate

I aim to keep your personal information accurate and up to date.

Please tell me if any information changes or if you believe any information I hold is inaccurate.

23. If you are unhappy with how your information is handled

If you are unhappy with how I use your personal information, please contact me first so that I can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection matters.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

24. ICO data protection fee

DA Estate Planning is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

ICO registration number: 00015379381.

25. Changes to this Privacy Notice

I keep this Privacy Notice under review and may update it from time to time.

The latest version will be available on my website.

26. How to contact me

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how I handle personal information, please contact:

DA Estate Planning
Hunters Lodge
Ash Grange
Ash Road
Whitchurch
Shropshire
SY13 4DH

Email: enquiries@daestateplanning.co.uk
Website: daestateplanning.co.uk