What is a cookie?

 

A cookie is a small piece of information that is downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a website or application. A cookie is a small piece of information that a website stores on your computer or mobile device when you visit the website so that it can optimise functionality for the visitor. It records how you move around a website so that, when you revisit that website, it can present tailored options based on the information stored about your last visit.

A cookie allows the website to remember your actions over a period of time, so you don’t have to keep re-entering your preferences or basic info (e.g. login, language, font size) whenever you come back to the site or click from one page to another.

 

Cookies can also be used to analyse traffic and for advertising and marketing purposes. Cookies are used by nearly all websites and do not harm your system.

 

If you want to check or change what types of cookies you accept, this can usually be altered within your browser settings. You can block cookies at any time by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.

  

How do we use cookies?

 

We use cookies to track how you use our website to improve your user experience. They may include Session Cookies (that are anonymous and only active while you are visiting the site and then forgotten after you leave) and Persistent Cookies (that remember you when you come back e.g. if you have entered a user name for a log-in or for Google Analytics which tracks traffic i.e. who visits the website and when).

 

The cookies used on our websites have been categorised as:

 

• Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential to enable you to use the website effectively, such as when buying a service, and therefore cannot be turned off. Without these cookies, the services available to you on our website cannot be provided. These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the internet.

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• Performance cookies: These cookies enable us to monitor and improve the performance of our website. For example, they allow us to count visits, identify traffic sources and see which parts of the site are most popular. This data may be used to optimise our website and make it easier for you to navigate. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies you. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.

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• Functionality cookies: These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced features. For instance, we may be able to provide you with news or updates relevant to the services you use or your preferences. We may also remember preferences such as text size, fonts and other customisable site elements. They may also be used to provide services you have requested such as viewing a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you.

 

Please note that third parties who advertise on our website (including, for example, advertising networks and providers of external services like web traffic analysis services) may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies.

 

You can block cookies at any time by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.

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