Cookie policy

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of textual data that websites ask your web browser to store on your computer, and then give back each time you visit a page. Essentially this allows the website(s) to know a bit more about you as you move from page to page within the suite of websites and from visit to visit.

If you do not agree to the use of cookies, as set out below, you can adjust your browser settings. If you choose to reject all cookies in your browser settings, we cannot guarantee that your experience will be as fulfilling as it would otherwise be, or that you will be able to access all features.

A complete list of cookies, specific cookie names and purposes can be found towards the bottom of the page.

How to manage cookies

If you do not agree to the use of cookies, as set out below, you can adjust your browser settings. If you choose to reject all cookies in your browser settings, we cannot guarantee that your experience will be as fulfilling as it would otherwise be, or that you will be able to access all features across the suite of websites.

How you control or delete cookies depends on which version of your internet browser you’re using. You can check this by going to the ‘Help’ section of your browser.

To find out more about cookies, and how to manage cookies on particular browsers, websites such as aboutcookies.org and www.allaboutcookies.org provide more detailed information and instructions for managing cookies from your browser. You can also visit your browser developer’s website for further information.

These are third party websites, and we are not responsible for the information provided there.

Strictly necessary cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of a website and without which the website could not perform basic functions. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of a website, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services.

Analytical/Performance cookies

These collect information about how visitors use a website, for example, counting page visits, dwell time, bounce rates, technologies used to access the site, and page load speeds. This is used to improve the way a website works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.

Functionality cookies

These are used to recognise you when you return to a website.  They allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features.

The boxes below shows the specific cookies that we store on your computer. Some of them are classed as essential to the operation of the site (so your only choice if you are not happy with them is not to use the site), but others are optional and you may opt out of them if you wish.

The preferences that you choose are specific to the computer or device that you are currently using.

Please see the complete list of cookies we are currently collecting, and purposes below.

Hotjar (Strictly necessary)

Name: _hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress
Purpose: Strictly necessary
What does this cookie do?
It tracks the beginning of a user’s journey for session count. It does not contain identifiable information.

Name: _hjFirstSeen
Purpose: Strictly necessary
What does this cookie do?
It detects the first pageview of a new user session.

Name: _hjIncludedInPageviewSample
Purpose: Strictly necessary
What does this cookie do?
It checks if the visitor is included in pageview sampling.

Name: _hjIncludedInSessionSample
Purpose: Strictly necessary
What does this cookie do?
It checks if the visitor is included in session sampling.

Google Analytics (Performance)

Name: _ga
Purpose: Performance/Analytics
What does this cookie do?
It is used to distinguish unique users by assigning a random client ID.

Name: _gat
Purpose: Performance/Analytics
What does this cookie do?
It throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic sites.

Name: _gid
Purpose: Performance/Analytics
What does this cookie do?
It stores or updates a unique value for each page visited.

Hotjar (Performance)

Name: _hjSessionUser_231223
Purpose: Performance/Analytics
What does this cookie do?
It ensures subsequent visits are attributed to the same user ID.

Name: _hjSession_231223
Purpose: Performance/Analytics
What does this cookie do?
It ensures session data is attributed to the same user ID.