When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.
These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:
- enabling a service to recognise your device so you don't have to give the same information several times during one task
- recognising that you may already have given a username and password so you don't need to do it for every web page requested
- measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and there's enough capacity to ensure they are fast
Manage your own cookies
You can manage these small files yourself and learn more about them through reading "Internet browser cookies - what they are and how to manage them".
Our use of cookies
Cookies to enhance your experience
We set a session cookie that allows us to maintain the state of your visit whilst viewing our web site. This may include a user preference or current progress in a series of steps.
|
Name |
Typical content |
Expiry |
|
PHPSESSID |
randomly generated alphanumeric identifier |
when user exits browser |
Add This
We also make use of 'add this' buttons to make it easier for you to share content from the website with others via email or social networks. This service sets the following cookies:
|
Name |
Typical content |
Expires after |
|
__atuvc |
Two numbers |
Two years |
|
uid |
Alphanumeric |
Two years |
|
uit |
Number |
One day |
|
uvc |
Two numbers |
Two years |
|
psc |
Number |
Two years |
For further details on the cookies set by Add This, please refer to the Add this website.
YouTube
YouTube videos embedded on the website sets the following cookies:
|
Name |
Typical content |
Expiry |
|
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE |
Alphanumeric |
Seven months |
|
use_hitbox |
Alphanumeric |
When user exits browser |
|
pref |
Alphanumeric |
10 years |
For further details on the cookies set by YouTube, please refer to the YouTube website.
Cookies for improving service
Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and fast.
|
Name |
Typical content |
Expiry |
|
_utma |
Randomly generated number |
Two years |
|
_utmb |
Randomly generated number |
30 minutes |
|
_utmc |
Randomly generated number |
When user exits browser |
|
_utmz |
Randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search) |
Six months |
For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google website