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Cookies

A cookie is a small file that is downloaded onto your device when you visit a website, which means the website can recognise your device if you return to it. 

Cookies are used to: 

  • recognise your device so you don’t have to give the same information several times during the same online task 

  • measure how you use the site so it can be updated and improved based on your needs 

  • provide data to help understand how a website and its services are used. 

Cookies can't be used to identify you as an individual. 

How cookies are used on this site 

Essential cookies

Essential cookies are needed to ensure our website works properly. We don’t need to ask permission to use these. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site might not work.

Name: cookie-agreed
Purpose: Used to store your cookie preferences (so you won’t be asked again)
Expires: 3 months

Name: cookie-agreed-version
Purpose: Used to indicate the version of the acceptance of cookies
Expires: 3 months

Performance cookies

Performance cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources, so that we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. If you don’t allow these cookies, we won’t know when you have visited our site, and won’t be able to monitor its performance.

Google signals

This site uses Google signals. This helps us to better understand how you use our site on different devices and your demographics and interests, if you’re logged into your Google account and have accepted advertising personalisation.

All Google Analytics data is aggregated and anonymised. It is retained within Google Analytics for a maximum of 24 months.

Name: _ga
Purpose: Used to distinguish users on a domain. 
Expires: 1 year 

Name: _ga_ VGV8KPSWX5 
Purpose: Used to persist session state.
Expires: 1 year

Name: _gat 
Purpose: Used to reduce the number of user requests. ​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Expires: 10 minutes

Name: _gid
Purpose: Used to distinguish users.
​​​​​​​Expires: 24 hours

Giving permission to collect Performance cookies

Turn on the performance cookies on the cookie banner to give us permission to store those cookies on your device. 

You can change your cookie settings in your browser. For instructions, check the support website for your browser.

Further reading 

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