Our privacy and security policy

What terms and conditions apply?

When you become a member of KidStart, you agree to the Membership Rules. These also incorporate our Privacy policy which also cover use of the website by non-members.

Please see the Membership rules for the specific detail but broadly they explain:

  • KidStart is only open to UK residents saving for a child, children, child-to-be, school or charity;
  • KidStart is only for personal, non-commercial use;
  • how you can earn KidStart Savings and when we might adjust or cancel savings (for example: in the case of misuse of KidStart or non payment by retailers);
  • how we transfer money to your children’s savings account(s).

If you have a KidSave account, Terms and conditions and Key Feature Documents can be found here.

We have tried to keep the rules clear and in plain English as far as possible but we are authorised by the FCA and there are certain things we need to include.

KidStart takes your Privacy and Security extremely seriously. If you have any questions regarding Privacy and Security matters please contact us using the Contact Us section in the website or by writing to the address at the end of the document.

Security policy

KidStart / KidSave operates several levels of security

Information you enter on our website is transmitted to us encrypted within secure webpages using SSL technology. Our website is certified by Digicert a leading independent certification authority. Payment card numbers are encrypted and stored in a database in such a way that no one (that includes KidStart employees and you) can ever see more than the last 4 digits of the card number. If you have to edit the number, you have to re-enter the whole number. We do not nor will we ever ask for the security code or PIN relating to your card.

Personal data stored in our systems is encrypted and subject to appropriate access controls.

You can help us maintain your security by never sharing your user name or password with anyone else. If these are shared, please contact us immediately by email. We will never use emails or telephone calls to ask you for your card or bank account number, or to reveal numbers that you have previously registered. If you receive any such communication, please contact us immediately via the contact us page.

KidStart's Data Protection Officer, who holds ultimate responsibility for the security and privacy of your data, is the Managing Director.

Privacy policy

When you register with KidStart or as a KidSave Donor, you provide us with personal information which we store on our systems. We use and process this personal information, including sensitive personal information, for the purpose of providing and improving the KidStart and KidSave services. By using the KidStart website and registering with KidStart or KidSave, you consent to our processing your personal information in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us through the contact us page, and this will have the effect of cancelling your KidStart registration.

We may use the information you provide for the following purposes:

  • To meet our contractual commitments to you.
  • To send you confirmations of instructions (such as changes to KidSave contributions or linked bank account) you have given us through the website.
  • To send you statements and transaction confirmations and other notifications required under financial regulations.
  • To notify you about any changes to our website and services, such as updates to terms and conditions, improvements or service changes.
  • To provide you with information related to our services and to provide information on our partners and their products which might be of interest to you, where you have consented to receive such information.

KidStart does not share, sell or otherwise transfer out of its control your personal data, except in the following situations:

  • Payment card numbers are shared with an established and accredited supplier in the payment processing industry with whom we have secure and encrypted transmission procedures in place. These are used to facilitate the collection and redemption of your KidStart Savings.
  • Where you tell us about a problem with KidStart Savings you are expecting or missing transactions, KidStart may need to disclose some personal data such as your name and transaction details with the retailer in question to help us resolve your query. In such circumstances your enquiry will be pursued on the basis that you consent to a necessary and sufficient disclosure of your personal data to achieve a resolution when you make the enquiry.
  • If you register with KidStart, apply for a KidSave account or register as a KidSave Donor, we may pass your personal information to third parties appointed by us for the purpose of verifying your identity or when requested to do so by regulators to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • If you open a KidSave account or are using KidSave Donor to make contributions, we will pass your personal information to our custody provider, Seccl Custody Limited (“Seccl”), who has been appointed by us to provide platform services (including dealing, safe custody, client money management, settlement and post-execution services) in respect of your investments or cash contributions made through the KidSave service.
    • Seccl will only use your personal information for these purposes but may disclose your information to their agents and service providers for these purposes. They may also disclose your information to third parties where required in order to comply with legal and regulatory requirements but in all other circumstances they will not pass on your information to any other third party without your permission.
  • When you have given us specific consent to share your data with a third party.

KidStart also collects information about how you use our site including information on your preferences and pages visited. KidStart uses this information combined with your personal data to evaluate site content, navigability and to deliver content and offers that are likely to be more relevant to you. We do not apply any kind of profiling or automated decision-making to your personal information.

You retain all rights over your personal information, and in accordance with law may at any time ask KidStart to correct any errors, to provide you with a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or to remove your personal information from our systems. If you do not have a KidSave account and ask us to remove your personal information, we will meet your request, at which point you will no longer have access to KidStart services. However, if you have one or more KidSave accounts, we will be legally required to retain your personal information so that you can continue to access your investments and receive information about them until such point as you transfer out your accounts.

You should appreciate that in any event we will need to retain your email address in order (and only in order) to deal with any final account enquiries that may arise, to help with any security issues that may arise, and to maintain an unsubscribe list so that – if that is your choice – you receive no further communications from us.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner for the handling and processing of personal information and will comply at all times with applicable data protection legislation. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the database containing this information is updated, is securely protected against unauthorised entry, and that personal information is kept strictly confidential. If you have any complaint about our handling of your personal information, you should contact the Information Commissioner’s Office as detailed here: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/.

If you have any complaint about our handling of your personal information, you should contact the Information Commissioner’s Office as detailed here: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/.

Use of Cookies

A cookie is a small file that a website transfers to the cookies folder for the browser on your computer. The browser saves the information and sends it back to the website whenever the browser returns to the website.

KidStart relies on the use of cookies to track your use of the KidStart website and transactions made at retailer websites. The cookies are essential in order for you to navigate our site correctly and, as appropriate, to collect your KidStart Savings when shopping online. These cookies do not compromise your Personal Data. We do not track online activity that is unrelated to KidStart or our retailer network. When you click a link to a retailer on the KidStart Website, App or Prompt, a cookie or similar may be placed on your device by our Affiliate partners. You can disable the cookies through your browser settings but will be unable to collect KidStart Savings on online purchases for as long as you do so.

We use cookies to allow you to log in directly from our emails which are personalised for you. Forwarding an email to a third party could result in them accessing the site in your name, for which you accept full responsibility and any related consequences. Note that our website asks you for a password to access your personal information such as your name or address.

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics also uses cookies so that KidStart can analyse how users use the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for KidStart and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

Sometimes certain third parties may set a cookie using a script linked to from our website. The third parties we have links with are:

  • Facebook – to enable users who have connected their KidStart and Facebook accounts to log in with their Facebook ID and to provide them with relevant content.
  • Youtube – who host the embedded video on our home page.
  • Google Doubleclick – occasionally we serve targeted advertisements using Google’s Doubleclick technology.

In each of the above cases, no personal information about you is stored with either us or the third party website.

You may refuse the use of all cookies by changing the appropriate settings on your browser. However, please note that if you do this you will be unable to collect KidStart Savings on online purchases. Depending on your browser’s capabilities, you may be able to configure it to accept cookies only from sites you choose.

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

KidStart is listed on the Information Commissioner's Register in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Our DPA registration number is Z1168761. Under the act you have the right to access the personal information KidStart may hold about you which you can do so by submitting a request in writing to our registered address: KidStart Limited, 1 Plato Place, 72-74 St Dionis Road, London SW6 4TU.

Terms of access

Please read these terms carefully before using the KidStart or KidSave website ("Website"), mobile app ("App") or Savings Prompt ("Prompt"), collectively the "KidStart Tools". These terms apply to all users of the KidStart Tools and by using them you agree you have read and accepted these terms.

The KidStart Tools are made available for use in connection with your use of the KidStart or KidSave services. You may retrieve and display URL links and pages from them on a computer or mobile screen and may print individual pages and store pages for your personal, non-commercial use. Any other use of KidStart materials such as copying URL links or content onto another website or use of the retailer links for anything other than your personal non-commercial use is prohibited without our prior written permission. The intellectual property in all design, graphics, text and other material and its arrangement in the KidStart Tools is owned by us and our respective licensors.

The KidStart Tools provide links to other websites beyond our control. The links to other websites are there for your convenience and we are not responsible for and do not give any warranties or make any representations regarding such websites. We are not responsible for or liable in relation to the content or security of these sites (other than to the extent required by law).

KidStart makes reasonable endeavours to ensure reliability of the information presented on the site, but makes no warranties or representations whatsoever as to its accuracy or reliability. Similarly, due to the nature of the internet, we do not guarantee that the KidStart Tools will be available on an uninterrupted and error free basis.

KidStart is a participant in the Amazon Europe S.à r.l. Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk

Competition & Prize Draw Rules

Sometimes KidStart runs prize draws and competitions on its website. Unless otherwise stated in the entry rules for the specific competition or prize draw, the following rules apply:

  1. Prizes will be awarded at the sole discretion of KidStart
  2. Non cash prizes do not have cash alternatives
  3. Only one entry per person
  4. Winners must be resident in the United Kingdom
  5. Winners will be selected from valid entries at random and KidStart will inform winners as soon as practical after the closing date. KidStart will not contact losing entrants. We will typically notify winners of a date by which they need to respond and reserve the right to select alternative winners if there is no response within the time given.
  6. By entering a competition, you agree to grant to KidStart, free of charge, permission to use any material you provide in any way it wants (including modifying and adapting it for operational and editorial reasons). Entries will not be returned.
  7. KidStart will always seek your permission to use your name or any images you provide and that identify you or family members in any publicity related to the competition.

Welcome Bonus Rules

Sometimes KidStart runs welcome bonuses for specific marketing partners. Unless otherwise stated in the terms & conditions for that partner, the following rules apply:

  1. Must be genuine new, non duplicate registrations who register with KidStart as instructed by the partner
  2. Welcome bonus will be applied within two weeks of when you make your first purchase through KidStart
  3. Only one bonus per person