Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar tracking technologies are used on this website, the purposes they serve and how you can manage your preferences. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which describes how we process personal data more broadly.

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function efficiently, to remember your preferences and to provide information to the website operator about how the site is used. Cookies may be set by the website you are visiting (first-party cookies) or by third-party services that provide content or functionality on that website (third-party cookies).

Similar technologies include pixel tags, web beacons, local storage and device fingerprinting. Where this policy refers to “cookies,” it includes these related technologies unless otherwise stated.

How We Use Cookies

This website uses cookies for the purposes set out below. We classify cookies into the following categories based on their function.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the website to function and cannot be disabled. They enable core features such as page navigation, access to secure areas and basic load balancing. They do not collect personal data for marketing purposes. Because these cookies are strictly necessary, they are placed without requiring your consent under Regulation 6 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).

Analytics Cookies

We use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies collect information such as the number of visitors, the pages viewed, the time spent on each page, the referring source and the general geographic region of the visitor. This information is aggregated and used to improve the website’s content, structure and performance.

Analytics providers we may use include Google Analytics, which processes data according to its own privacy policy available at policies.google.com/privacy. Where Google Analytics is used, IP anonymisation is enabled so that your full IP address is not stored.

Analytics cookies are placed only after you have given your consent through the cookie consent mechanism on this website.

Functionality Cookies

Functionality cookies remember choices you make — such as your preferred language, text size or cookie consent settings — so that the website can provide an improved and more personalised experience on subsequent visits. These cookies do not track your browsing activity on other websites.

Functionality cookies are placed only after you have given your consent, except where they are classified as strictly necessary for a feature you have explicitly requested.

Advertising and Targeting Cookies

This website may use advertising cookies to deliver relevant advertisements and to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. These cookies may be set by third-party advertising networks and may track your browsing activity across different websites in order to build a profile of your interests.

Advertising cookies are placed only after you have given your explicit consent. You may withdraw consent at any time using the cookie management options described below.

Specific Cookies Used

The specific cookies placed on your device depend on which cookie categories you have consented to. First-party cookies set by this website may include a consent preference cookie that records whether you have accepted or declined non-essential cookies, and a session identifier cookie used for basic website operation. Third-party cookies vary depending on the analytics and advertising services active at the time of your visit. You can inspect the cookies currently stored by your browser using your browser’s developer tools or settings menu.

Cookie Duration

Cookies have different lifespans depending on their purpose. Session cookies are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them manually. Analytics cookies used on this website typically expire within 13 months of being set. Consent preference cookies may persist for up to 12 months so that you are not asked to repeat your choice on every visit.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

When you first visit this website, a cookie consent banner allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time by using the cookie settings link provided in the footer of the website, which will re-display the consent mechanism.

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, to be notified when a cookie is set, or to browse in a private or incognito mode that limits cookie storage. The following links provide guidance for common browsers:

Google Chrome: support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647

Mozilla Firefox: support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer

Apple Safari: support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac

Microsoft Edge: support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge

Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website. Strictly necessary cookies cannot be disabled through the consent mechanism because the website requires them to operate.

Do Not Track

Some browsers offer a Do Not Track (DNT) setting that sends a signal to websites requesting that your browsing activity is not tracked. There is no universally accepted standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. At present, this website does not alter its behaviour in response to a DNT signal, but we respect your right to manage tracking through the cookie consent mechanism and browser settings described above.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or in applicable law. The revised policy will be published on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Further Information

For more information about cookies in general, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage or delete them, visit aboutcookies.org or allaboutcookies.org.

For information about your data protection rights, see our Privacy Policy or contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.