Privacy policy
Last updated 30 October 2026
This policy explains what Critical Finance (run by Critical Future Ltd, the data controller) collects, why, and how it is kept safe. We follow UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
What we collect
- Your account: name, email address and sign-in details.
- Your books: the accounting data you connect or upload (for example from Xero, Sage, QuickBooks or a bank feed): transactions, invoices, balances, chart of accounts, and the answers you give about them.
- Bank data: if you connect a bank account, transactions and balances come through an FCA-authorised open banking provider (TrueLayer or Plaid). We never see or store your online banking password.
- Tax and company filings: the identifiers needed to prepare and file for you (UTR, National Insurance number, company number, authentication code, PAYE reference) and the returns themselves.
- Payments: handled by Stripe. We keep the payment reference and amount; we never hold your card number.
Why we use it
To do the job you asked for: produce your management accounts, tax return or company accounts, answer your questions through Dom, file with HMRC and Companies House when you tell us to, and bill you. Our lawful basis is the contract with you, and for filings the legal obligations you have asked us to meet.
Who sees it
- Our processors, under contract: Netlify (hosting, United States and EU), Anthropic (the AI that powers Dom; your data is not used to train its models), Stripe (payments), TrueLayer and Plaid (bank connections), Resend (email), and the accounting systems you connect.
- HMRC and Companies House, only when you ask us to file.
- Your accountant or colleagues, only if you invite them to your space.
We never sell your data and never share it for marketing.
How long we keep it
While you have an account, and for six years afterwards for filed returns and accounts, which is what HMRC requires you to keep. Ask and we delete everything else within 30 days.
Security
Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Each customer's data is kept in its own space; staff access is limited to support you ask for.
Your rights
You can ask for a copy of your data, correct it, or have it deleted, and you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). Email adam@criticalfuture.co.uk.
Cookies
We use only the cookies needed to keep you signed in. No advertising or tracking cookies.
Critical Finance is a product of Critical Future Ltd, London, United Kingdom. Questions: adam@criticalfuture.co.uk.