Privacy Policy
Last updated: 15 October 2026
Who we are
Umbilical Limited ("Umbilical", "we", "us") is a recruitment business. We provide permanent and contract recruitment services to clients, and payroll services for contractors.
Umbilical Limited is registered in England and Wales, company number 10655277. Our registered office is 80 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB.
We are the controller of the personal data described in this policy. This policy explains what data we hold about candidates, contractors, referees and client contacts, how we use it, and the rights you have.
What personal data we collect
We collect the information we need to find suitable opportunities for you and to support you through recruitment. Depending on how we work with you, this may include:
Contact details: name, email address, phone number and location.
Career information: your CV, job title, employer, work history, skills, qualifications and education.
Recruitment records: notes of our conversations, the roles we have discussed with you, interview feedback and references.
Right to work and identity documents: for example your passport, proof of address and National Insurance number.
Contractor and payroll information: company or umbrella details, bank details, invoices and timesheets.
Client contact details: the business contact details of people we work with at our clients.
If you tell us about any adjustments you need, for example for an interview, we will only use this to support you and will only share it with your consent. Where a client or role requires it, we may carry out background or criminal record checks, with your knowledge and consent.
Where we get your data from
From you: when you apply for a role, send us your CV, speak to us or work with us.
From someone acting for you: for example your limited company or umbrella company.
From publicly available and professional sources: such as professional networking sites (e.g. LinkedIn), job boards, company websites, and contact-data providers (e.g. Lusha and ContactOut).
From referrals and references: for example a recommendation from a colleague, or a reference from a former employer.
From our clients: for example interview feedback, or business contact details of client staff.
We may use software to help search public sources for people whose skills match a role. We only search sources where people would reasonably expect recruiters to find and contact them.
How we use your data and our legal basis
We use your data to match people with roles, to introduce candidates to clients, and to manage placements. The law requires us to have a legal basis for each use:
Finding and contacting potential candidates, and contacting clients about our services: our legitimate interests in running a recruitment business.
Introducing you to clients and managing your application: our legitimate interests, and steps you ask us to take before a contract.
Right to work checks: our legal obligations.
Contractor placements, payroll and invoicing: performing our contract with you or your company, and legal obligations such as keeping tax records.
References and client-required checks: our legitimate interests, or your consent where required.
Interview adjustments or other health information: your explicit consent.
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have balanced our interests against yours. You can object at any time (see Your rights).
Who we share your data with
We never sell your data. We share it only where needed:
Clients: to put you forward for roles you have discussed with us.
Contractor partners: umbrella companies, payment partners and the managed service providers some clients use to run contract roles.
Referees and screening providers: to obtain references and carry out checks.
Service providers who process data for us: including our recruitment database (Bullhorn), phone system (CloudCall), email and file storage (Microsoft 365), e-signature service (DocuSign) and our accountants. They may only use your data on our instructions.
Authorities: where the law requires it, for example HMRC or the Home Office.
Transfers outside the UK
Some of our clients and service providers are based outside the UK. For example, we may introduce you to a client in Europe.
Where we transfer personal data outside the UK, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place. These include transferring only to countries the UK recognises as providing adequate protection (such as the EU and EEA), or using approved contractual protections.
How long we keep your data
We keep personal data only as long as we need it:
Candidates: 3 years from our last meaningful contact with you.
Client contacts: 3 years from our last contact.
Contractors: 6 years after your assignment ends, to meet tax and accounting requirements.
After this, we delete or anonymise your data. If you ask us not to contact you, we keep your name and email address on a do-not-contact list so that we respect your request in future.
Your rights
If you don't want to hear from us, email office@umbilical.co and we will remove your details and stop contacting you.
You also have the right to:
Access: ask for a copy of the data we hold about you.
Rectification: ask us to correct data that is wrong or incomplete.
Erasure: ask us to delete your data.
Restriction: ask us to limit how we use your data.
Objection: object to us using your data based on our legitimate interests, including being contacted about roles.
Portability: ask for data you gave us in a format you can reuse.
Withdraw consent: where we rely on your consent, withdraw it at any time.
To use any of these rights, email office@umbilical.co. We will respond within one month. Requests are usually free of charge.
Cookies, changes and contacting us
Cookies: our website uses cookies to work properly and to help us understand how it is used. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings.
Changes: we review this policy regularly. The date at the top shows when it was last updated.
Contact us: for any questions about this policy or your data, contact our Data Protection Contact:
Hannah Andrzejewski
Email: office@umbilical.co
Phone: 0116 461 0070
Post: Umbilical Limited, 80 Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB
Complaints: if you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113. If you are outside the UK, you can contact the data protection regulator in your country.