Going through a separation means sharing things you'd normally keep private. We take that seriously. This policy explains, in plain English, what we collect, why, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
Who we are
divorcd is a trading name of , a company registered in England and Wales (company number ). Our registered office is . We are the "data controller" for the personal information described here, which means we decide how it's used and we're responsible for looking after it. We're registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), registration number .
If you have any questions about this policy or your information, email us at [email protected].
What we collect
Information you give us
- When you use Get matched: your first name, email address, postcode or town, phone number if you choose to give it, the kind of help you're looking for, the stage you're at, what needs sorting out (for example a house, pensions or children), and anything else you choose to tell us.
- When you request a call back: the professional you've chosen, plus the details above so they can contact you.
- When you join the membership or hold a founding spot: your name or nickname, email address, the stage you're at, what you'd like from the community, and confirmation that you're 18 or over.
- When you sign up for emails or ask to hear about accounts: your email address.
- When you email us: whatever you include in your message.
- When you pay: payments are handled by Stripe. We don't see or store your full card details. We receive confirmation of payment, the amount, your name and email address.
Sensitive information
Some of what you tell us may reveal sensitive details about you, such as information about your health, your relationships, your children, or experiences of abuse. The law treats some of this as "special category" data and gives it extra protection. We only collect it when you choose to give it to us, we only use it for the purpose you gave it for, and we rely on your explicit consent, which you give when you tick the consent box on our forms. You can withdraw that consent at any time by emailing us.
Please don't tell us more than you need to. You never have to give us information about other people, such as your ex or your children, to use our service.
Information collected automatically
Like all websites, our hosting provider automatically records basic technical information when you visit, such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you request. This is used to keep the site running securely. We don't currently use analytics or advertising tracking. See our cookie policy for details.
How we use your information, and why we're allowed to
| What we do | Our lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Show you matched professionals and pass your details to the professional you choose to contact | Your consent, and explicit consent for any sensitive information |
| Reply to your messages and follow up on enquiries you've made | Our legitimate interests in running and improving our service, and your consent where sensitive information is involved |
| Provide your membership, community access and member benefits | To perform our contract with you |
| Take payments and keep financial records | To perform our contract with you, and to meet our legal obligations (for example tax law) |
| Send you emails you've asked for, such as the starter pack or news about accounts | Your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time |
| Keep our community safe, moderate content and act on reports | Our legitimate interests in keeping members safe, and our legal obligations |
| Protect someone at serious risk of harm | To protect someone's vital interests, or for reasons of substantial public interest (safeguarding) |
| Keep the website secure and working | Our legitimate interests |
We will never sell your information. We will never contact your partner or ex.
Who we share it with
- Professionals you choose to contact. When you request a call back, we pass your details and what you've told us to that professional so they can get in touch. Once they have your details, they're responsible for how they use them under their own privacy policy and professional rules.
- Service providers who help us run divorcd, under contracts that require them to protect your information:
- Netlify (website hosting and form handling)
- Stripe (payments)
- Porkbun (domain and email forwarding)
- Microsoft (the email inbox where enquiries are received)
- Discord (our members' community, which you join with your own Discord account under Discord's own terms and privacy policy)
- WidgetBot (shows a public taster room on our website, only if you choose to load it)
- Google Fonts and Pexels (supply the fonts, photos and video on our website; your browser contacts them to load these)
- Authorities, when we have to. We may share information with the police, social services or other authorities if the law requires it, or if we believe someone is at serious risk of harm.
- A buyer of our business, if divorcd is ever sold or restructured, in which case your information would stay protected by this policy.
Information sent outside the UK
Some of our service providers are based in, or store data in, other countries, including the United States. When your information is transferred outside the UK, we make sure it's protected, for example through the UK's data adequacy arrangements (such as the UK-US data bridge) or approved contract terms.
How long we keep it
- Enquiries and call-back requests: 12 months from our last contact with you, unless you ask us to delete them sooner.
- Membership records: for as long as you're a member, then 12 months.
- Payment and financial records: 6 years, because tax law requires it.
- Email sign-ups: until you unsubscribe.
- Moderation and safeguarding records: 12 months, unless an ongoing serious concern or a legal obligation means we need to keep them longer. See our safeguarding policy.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the information we hold about you
- ask us to correct anything that's wrong
- ask us to delete your information
- ask us to limit how we use it, or object to how we use it
- ask us to send your information to you or someone else in a usable format
- withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting anything we did before you withdrew it
To use any of these rights, email [email protected]. We'll respond within one month. It's free.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please tell us first so we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Keeping it safe
We use secure, encrypted connections for our website and forms, limit who can access personal information, and choose service providers with strong security. No system is completely secure, so if you're worried someone might be monitoring your devices or email, please read our staying safe tips below.
Staying safe online
- Use an email address and device your partner or ex can't access.
- Use the Quick exit button, or press Esc twice, to leave our site quickly.
- Consider using your browser's private or incognito mode.
- If you're experiencing abuse, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247, free and open 24 hours) can help you stay safe online and offline.
Children
Our services are for adults. You must be 18 or over to use our forms or join the membership. We don't knowingly collect information from children.
Changes to this policy
We'll update this policy if anything changes, and show the date it was last updated at the top. If the changes are significant, we'll let members know by email.