Policy Statement:
This Policy outlines how long various categories of personal data are retained by Flame Community Church and when they are securely deleted, anonymised, or archived.
Governance & Church Administration:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Governing documents & policies | Permanently | Historical and legal value. |
| Leadership Team minutes & decisions | Permanently | Archive for accountability and compliance. |
| Complaints and grievance records | 6 years after resolution | In line with legal advice. |
Members, Attendees & Congregation:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Membership records | While current + 2 years | For re-engagement and record-keeping. |
| Contact lists (email, phone, etc.) | Until consent withdrawn or 2 years of inactivity | Reviewed annually. |
| Consent forms | While consent valid + 2 years | Retained for audit trail. |
| Pastoral records | Duration of relationship + 2 years | Sensitive info kept confidential and securely stored. |
Events, Programs, and Activities:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Event registration forms | Event duration + 1 year | For contact tracing or follow-up. |
| DBS/Volunteer application records | While volunteering + 6 months | Except where safeguarding applies (see below). |
| Photographs/videos with consent | Until consent withdrawn or up to 5 years | Reviewed and refreshed regularly. |
Children, Youth & Safeguarding:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Consent forms for activities/trips | Event duration + 3 years | In case of delayed complaints or claims. |
| Safeguarding incident records | 75 years (or as advised by Elim HQ/legal) | In accordance with safeguarding best practices. |
| Parental contact info | While child is involved + 1 year | Reviewed annually. |
Finance & Gift Aid:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Gift Aid declarations | 6 years after final donation | HMRC requirement. |
| Donation records | 6 years after final donation | For auditing and Gift Aid purposes. |
| Financial records (e.g. payroll, invoices) | 6 years from end of tax year | Legal minimum; some records may be held longer if needed. |
Staff & HR Records:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Employment contracts | Duration of employment + 6 years | For reference or legal claims. |
| Payroll records, pensions | 6 years from end of tax year | HMRC requirement. |
| Sickness/absence/leave records | 3 years after employment ends | For compliance and reference. |
Website, Social Media & Digital Communications:
| Data Category | Retention Period | Notes |
| Website enquiries / contact forms | 1 year after response | Unless follow-up required. |
| Mailing list data | Until consent withdrawn | Unsubscribes actioned promptly. |
| Social media messages/comments | Reviewed periodically | Data stored by platforms—review church-held content annually. |
Disposal of Data:
- Paper records: Shredded securely.
- Digital records: Permanently deleted from all systems (including backups where possible).
- Personal data is never “deleted” by neglect; it is removed according to this schedule or earlier upon request/consent withdrawal unless legal exceptions apply.
Review: This Data Retention Policy is reviewed annually by the Senior Leader and Data Protection Lead, and updated as necessary in line with changes to the law, Elim policy, or operational needs.
Approval: This Data Retention Policy has been approved by the Elders of Flame Community Church and is effective from 16/06/25.
Signed: Daniel Jarvis – Senior Leader
Date: 16/06/25