29th July 2026
Data Retention Policy
Data Retention Policy
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd
Policy Version: 1.0
Effective Date: 29 July 2026
Review Date: July 2027
1. Purpose
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd ("Tara", "we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting the personal data of candidates, clients, employees, suppliers and website users.
This Data Retention Policy explains how long we retain personal information, why we retain it, and how we securely dispose of it once it is no longer required.
This policy should be read alongside our Privacy & Cookie Policy.
2. Our Commitment
We only retain personal data:
for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected;
where required to comply with legal, regulatory or contractual obligations;
where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and industry best practice, including APSCo Compliance+ standards.
When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted, anonymised or confidentially destroyed.
3. Data We Hold
We may retain information relating to:
Candidates
Temporary workers
Permanent applicants
Clients and prospective clients
Schools, trusts and nurseries
Employees
Contractors
Suppliers
Website enquiries
Marketing contacts
4. Retention Periods
Candidate Records
Candidate records, CVs, registration documents, interview notes, references and recruitment records are retained for up to 6 years after the last meaningful contact, unless a longer retention period is required by law or the individual asks us to delete information that we are not legally required to retain.
Where candidates remain actively seeking work, records may continue to be retained to provide recruitment services.
Compliance Documentation
Documents including:
DBS information (where applicable)
Right to Work documentation
Qualification checks
Identity verification
Safeguarding compliance
Training records
are retained only for as long as necessary to satisfy legal, safeguarding and contractual obligations.
Certain compliance records may be retained for up to 6 years following the end of the working relationship.
Temporary Worker Records
Records relating to temporary assignments, timesheets, pay information and placement history are retained in accordance with employment, tax and agency worker legislation.
Payroll-related information is generally retained for 6 years plus the current tax year, unless legislation requires a longer period.
Client Records
Client contact information, contracts, assignment information and correspondence are retained for up to 6 years following the end of the business relationship.
Financial records are retained in accordance with HMRC requirements.
Financial Records
Invoices, payment records, VAT records, payroll information and accounting documentation are retained for a minimum of 6 years following the end of the relevant financial year.
Employee Records
Employee personnel files are retained throughout employment and generally for 6 years after employment ends, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
Some pension and health & safety records may be retained for longer where legislation requires.
Website Enquiries
General enquiries submitted via our website are normally retained for up to 24 months, unless they develop into an active recruitment or client relationship.
Marketing Data
Marketing preferences are retained until:
consent is withdrawn;
an individual unsubscribes; or
we determine the information is no longer accurate or relevant.
We regularly review marketing data to ensure it remains current.
5. Legal Retention Requirements
Certain legislation requires us to retain records for specified periods, including but not limited to:
UK GDPR
Data Protection Act 2018
Employment Agencies Act and Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations
HMRC legislation
Employment legislation
National Minimum Wage legislation
Safeguarding requirements where applicable
Where legislation requires longer retention than this policy, the legal requirement will take precedence.
6. Secure Storage
Personal information is stored securely using appropriate technical and organisational measures.
These include:
secure cloud-based recruitment systems;
restricted staff access;
password protected systems;
encrypted communications where appropriate;
secure IT infrastructure;
regular system monitoring;
secure disposal of paper records using confidential shredding.
7. Secure Disposal
When retention periods expire, information is securely destroyed.
This may include:
permanent deletion from electronic systems;
secure deletion from backups where appropriate;
confidential shredding of paper documentation;
anonymisation where information is required only for statistical purposes.
8. Individual Rights
Individuals have rights under UK data protection legislation, including the right to:
request access to their personal information;
request correction of inaccurate information;
request erasure where applicable;
request restriction of processing;
object to processing in certain circumstances.
Some information cannot be deleted where we have a legal obligation to retain it.
9. Policy Review
This policy is reviewed annually or sooner where legislation, regulatory requirements or business practices change.
Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding this Data Retention Policy, please contact:
Tara Professional Recruitment Ltd
Dunbar House
Knights Court
Battlefield
Shrewsbury
SY1 3GA
Telephone: 01952 433833