Privacy Policy.
Updated on: 01/10/2026
1. About this policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Choose Wisely Limited collects, uses and protects personal information when you use our website, comparison tools and related services, or when a partner website passes us an application you made there. Our goal is to help you understand and compare financial products fairly and responsibly. To do this, we need to use certain information about you so the results you see are accurate, relevant and up to date. We handle that information carefully, in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable laws.
2. Who we are
Choose Wisely and choosewisely.co.uk are trading names of Choose Wisely Limited (company number 07580462). Our registered office is This Workspace, 18 Albert Road, Bournemouth BH1 1BZ. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under number Z3106681. Our Chief Executive Officer is our Data Protection Officer, contactable at hello@choosewisely.co.uk.
3. Why we need your data
In order to show you relevant results, check eligibility, and make sure we only display products you could realistically apply for, we need to collect and process limited personal data. This enables our comparison tools to function properly, return accurate results and meet regulatory expectations for responsible lending and fair customer outcomes.
3.1 How you reach us
There are two ways your information can come to Choose Wisely, and it matters which one applies to you.
- You use our website. You enter your details on choosewisely.co.uk and ask us to check your eligibility and show you products. You agree to our Terms and this Privacy Policy when you do.
- You enter your details on another company's website (an "introducer"). That company passes your application to the brokers and lenders on its panel, including Choose Wisely. In that case you agreed to that company's terms and privacy policy, and that company will have told you that a soft search would be carried out to match you with lenders. The introducer is a separate data controller. Choose Wisely becomes a controller of your information from the moment it receives your application, and this Privacy Policy applies from then.
4. The information we collect
4.1 Information you give us
When you use our tools or forms, you may provide:
- Your name and contact details
- Address and residency information
- Employment status, income and expenditure details
- Details about the products or services you're interested in
- Feedback, reviews, complaints, requests or messages you send to our team, and any documents you send with them
We do not ask for health or other sensitive information, but you may tell us about it, for example in a complaint or when asking for support. A fraud report may also name someone suspected of an offence. We use this information only for the purpose it was given.
4.2 Information we collect automatically
We collect technical and usage data such as:
- The pages you visit, how long you spend on them and which parts you click on
- Device, browser and IP address information
- Cookies or similar technologies used to recognise returning visitors
4.3 Information we receive from others
We may receive data from:
- Introducer partners who pass us the application you completed on their website. This includes the details you entered there and technical information about the submission, such as the IP address, browser used and the time of submission.
- Providers and brokers on our panel who tell us about the progress or outcome of an application you made via Choose Wisely.
- Credit reference agencies and data analytics partners.
5. How we use your data
We only use your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so and where it's necessary for one or more of the following purposes:
- To operate our comparison and eligibility service. Enabling us to show you accurate results, eligibility estimates and offers based on your circumstances.
- To verify information and prevent fraud. Using trusted technology partners, who support responsible lending and compliance.
- To personalise and improve our service. Analysing aggregated usage data to make our site clearer and more useful.
- To communicate with you. Sending confirmations, updates and service related messages.
- To send marketing (if you've opted in). Informing you about products or services that may interest you.
- To comply with legal or regulatory obligations. Including those under FCA rules, anti fraud and financial crime laws.
- To handle complaints and requests. Including requests about your data and fraud reports.
When we use other companies to help verify identity or improve accuracy, the information shared is minimal and proportionate. We may provide limited application level details (for example, reference identifiers or broad outcomes) and receive signals or insights in return. These processes do not affect your credit score.
6. Lawful bases for processing
The lawful basis we rely on depends on how you reached us (see 3.1).
| Route | What we do | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| You use our website | Check your eligibility, show you results, pass your application to a provider you choose | Contract (the service you asked us for) and legitimate interests (operating an accurate comparison service) |
| A partner passes us your application | Check your eligibility and, where suitable, pass your application to a provider on our panel | Legitimate interests (where you asked the partner to find you a product) |
| Either route | Verify identity, prevent fraud, keep records | Legal obligation (FCA rules, record keeping) and legitimate interests |
| Either route | Sharing your details with agencies and partners for their own tracing and identity services | Legitimate interests |
| Either route | Handle complaints, data requests and fraud reports | Legal obligation (FCA complaint rules, data protection law) and legitimate interests |
| Either route | Send you marketing | Consent (you can withdraw it at any time) |
| Either route | Quality checks, staff training and performance management | Legitimate interests |
7. Who we share your data with
We only share personal data when it's necessary, proportionate and covered by a lawful basis. The following tables explain who we may share data with, why, and on what basis.
7.1 Product providers and brokers
We work with partners who provide 1st and 2nd charge mortgage products, bank accounts, business loans, car finance, credit cards, and personal loans. These may include banks, brokers, credit card providers, and non bank lenders. You can see a full list of providers here.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| To obtain quotes and check eligibility | Passing the information you enter (e.g. loan amount, employment, income) to selected lenders or brokers so they can generate eligibility results or indicative offers | Contract (website users) or legitimate interests (partner sourced applications) |
| To process applications | Transferring your details to the provider you choose to apply with | Contract (website users) or legitimate interests (partner sourced applications) |
| To monitor outcomes and service quality | Providers may confirm whether an application was accepted, declined or abandoned | Legitimate interest (service improvement and regulatory monitoring) |
| Affordability & vulnerability insight | Providers may share limited indicators of financial vulnerability or affordability risk to help us ensure fair outcomes | Legitimate interest and legal obligation (Consumer Duty) |
7.2 Credit reference and data analytics partners
We work with partners to verify identity, prevent fraud, assess eligibility, and improve accuracy. These include Equifax PLC, Experian Limited, Infinian Data Solutions Limited, and TransUnion Information Group Limited. To check which products you are likely to be accepted for, we send the details in your application to one or more of these partners and carry out a quotation search, also called a soft search. A quotation search is recorded on your credit file but is visible only to you. Lenders cannot see it and it does not affect your credit score. Depending on how the agency reports it, one eligibility check may appear on your credit file under a label you do not recognise, or as more than one entry.
As well as providing services to us, they may use the information we share for their own purposes and for their clients. These include tracing individuals for debt collection, crime and fraud prevention, anti money laundering and reuniting people with assets, checking and verifying identity, age verification, individual reference and lookup services, and know your customer checks. We share this information for our own commercial benefit. The Credit Reference Agency Information Notice explains how credit reference agencies use your information. You can object to this sharing at any time by emailing hello@choosewisely.co.uk.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility checking | Quotation (soft) search to match you with products you are likely to be accepted for | Contract (website users) or legitimate interests (partner sourced applications) |
| Identity verification and fraud prevention | Checking that application details are genuine and consistent and detecting misuse or multiple identities | Legitimate interest (fraud prevention, platform integrity) and legal obligation (FCA) |
| Tracing and identity services | Tracing and verifying individuals, including for debt collection, crime and fraud prevention, anti money laundering and reuniting people with assets | Legitimate interest (tracing and debt collection) |
| Credit and risk management | Sharing application level data (e.g. number of recent applications or high level outcomes) so partners can validate and enhance the information they hold | Legitimate interest (accuracy and responsible lending) |
| Affordability and vulnerability insight | Partners may supply indicators of potential financial vulnerability or affordability risk to help us and lenders meet Consumer Duty obligations | Legitimate interest and legal obligation |
| Market accuracy and service improvement | Aggregated or anonymised insights used to improve the relevance and fairness of comparison results | Legitimate interest |
7.3 Technology and service providers
We work with partners to host, maintain, and support our platform in order to provide our service. These include Alphabet Inc (Google), Amazon Web Services Inc, Cloudflare Inc, Contentsquare SAS Limited (HotJar), Freshworks Inc (Freshdesk), Hoxley Limited, Ratio Limited (our group parent), and Twilio Inc.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and infrastructure | Secure cloud hosting, backup and disaster recovery | Legitimate interest |
| Communications and support | Email, SMS, in app messaging, live chat | Legitimate interest and contract |
| Analytics and performance | Measuring page performance and user behaviour to improve usability | Legitimate interest |
| Security and monitoring | DDoS protection, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning | Legitimate interest and legal obligation |
| Complaints and requests | Complaint investigation | Legal obligation and legitimate interest |
All such providers act as data processors under written agreements and must follow our instructions.
7.4 Group companies
We work with our parent company Ratio Limited and other group entities that provide shared operational and compliance support.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Internal operations | Finance, HR, technology and compliance support provided by Ratio Limited (our parent company) | Legitimate interest |
Access is limited to staff who need it for these purposes.
7.5 Regulators & public authorities
We work with regulators, government agencies and authorised dispute resolution bodies when required by law or to protect customers.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Legal and regulatory compliance | Responding to information requests from the FCA, CMA, the ICO, law enforcement or courts | Legal obligation |
| Consumer protection and dispute resolution | Providing information to an ombudsman or complaints body if required | Legal obligation |
7.6 Corporate activity
We may share information with professional advisers, auditors or potential acquirers.
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Business audit, reorganisation or sale | Sharing necessary information with advisers or other interested parties under confidentiality agreements | Legitimate interest |
8. Automated decisions and profiling
Our eligibility check is automated. Our systems compare the information in your application and the result of the quotation search against the acceptance criteria of the providers on our panel, and show you the products you are most likely to be accepted for. This is profiling in the sense used by data protection law. It does not itself decide whether you get credit. That decision is made by the provider you apply to. Some of our partners' systems may also use automated processes to assess eligibility or fraud risk. These are designed to ensure fair and consistent results. When we handle a complaint or request, AI tools may help our team organise the evidence and prepare a reply. They do not make decisions about you. A member of our team decides what we say and sends every reply.
You can ask for a member of our team to review an eligibility result produced by our automated systems, explain your circumstances and challenge the outcome. To do so, email hello@choosewisely.co.uk. If your concern relates to a lending decision made by a provider, you should contact that provider directly. We can review our own eligibility assessment, but we cannot change a provider’s lending decision.
9. How we keep your data safe
We apply technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Firewalls and intrusion detection
- Strict access controls and regular training for staff
- Secure cloud hosting, with your data stored in the UK and EEA
10. How long we keep your data
We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes above. Usually this means bureau credit-file information for no more than 30 days; application records for seven years. Complaint records are kept for seven years after the complaint is closed. After the retention period, we either delete or anonymise data so you can no longer be identified.
11. Your rights
You have rights under data protection law to:
- Be informed about how we use your data
- Access the data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request deletion ("the right to be forgotten")
- Restrict or object to processing
- Request data portability
- Challenge automated decisions
- Withdraw from marketing
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@choosewisely.co.uk. You do not need to use a form or any particular wording, although using our form may help us respond faster. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
12. Cookies
We use cookies to make our site work, remember preferences, measure performance and improve user experience. For full details, see our Cookie Policy. You can manage or disable cookies in your browser, though some features may not function properly without them.
13. International transfers
Our infrastructure is based in the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Some providers process data outside these regions, including the AI providers which may process it in the United States. Where that happens we make sure adequate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in law or how we operate. We'll post the latest version here with the updated "Updated on" date.
15. Contact us
If you have any questions or requests you can email us at hello@choosewisely.co.uk or write to us at Choose Wisely Limited, This Workspace, 18 Albert Road, Bournemouth BH1 1BZ.