1. What are cookies?

A “cookie” is a piece of information that is stored on your computer, other device or phone and which records your navigation of a website so that, when you revisit that website, it can present tailored options to you based upon the stored information about your last visit. You can normally alter the settings of your browser to prevent acceptance of cookies.

Cookies are used by nearly all websites and do not harm your system. They help to make your experience on our website as smooth as possible.

2. How do we use cookies?

We may use cookies:

• to help make our website work as you would expect as a user
• to save you having to log in every time you use our site
• to remember your setting during and between visits
• to improve the speed/security of our site
• to personalise our site to help you get what you need faster

We do not use cookies:

• to collect personally identifiable information
• to pass to third parties

We also use “cookies” to monitor site user traffic patterns and site usage. This helps us to understand how our users use our websites so that we can develop and improve the design, layout and functionality of the sites. Please see section 1.7. on Google Analytics for more information on this.

There are different kinds of cookies with different functions:

Session cookies: these are only stored on your computer, device or phone, during your web session. They are automatically deleted when the browser is closed. They usually store an anonymous session ID allowing you to browse a website without having to log in to each page. They do not collect any information from your computer, device or phone.

Persistent cookies: a persistent cookie is one stored as a file on your computer, device or phone, and it remains there when you close your web browser. The cookie can be read by the website that created it when you visit that website again. We do not use persistent cookies other than for Google Analytics (please see section 1.7. on Google Analytics).

We never use third-party or unsatisfactory cookies on our site, although we do use Google Analytics (please see section 1.7. on Google Analytics).

The cookies we use are explained below:

3. Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are essential to enable you to use the site effectively and therefore cannot be turned off. Without these cookies, the services available to you on our site 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.

4. Performance cookies

These cookies enable us to monitor and improve the performance of our site. For example they allow us to count visits, identify traffic sources and see which parts of the site are most popular. We use Google analytics for this purpose (see section 1.7.) and all information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore remains anonymous. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a visitor, as all information these cookies collect is anonymous and is only used to improve how our site works.

5. Functionality cookies

These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with news or updates relevant to the policies you buy. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, font and other parts of web pages that you can customise. 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 is usually anonymised. They do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.

6. How to reject cookies

Note that most web browsers will accept cookies, but if you would rather that we did not collect data in this way you can choose to accept all, or some, or reject cookies in your browser’s privacy settings. Rejecting all cookies means that certain features cannot then be provided to you and accordingly you may not be able to take full advantage of all our website’s features. Each browser is different, so check the “Help” menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences.
For more information generally on cookies, including how to disable them, please refer to aboutcookies.org (http://www.allaboutcookies.org/). You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your computer ,your device or the handset manual of your phone.

7. Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies to help the website analyse how users use the site. 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 website operators 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. Google uses the __utma cookie. This is a persistent cookie that expires in two years. With each new visit, the expiration date is refreshed. 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.

For more information on Google Analytics, including their privacy policy, please visit https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en