What are cookies?
Cookies are small files that are sent to your PC, mobile phone or tablet when you visit a website. They stay on your device and are sent back to the website they came from when you visit it again. Cookies collect data and send it to us while you use the site. These are written into mobile apps and web pages that you go to on your device.
Session and persistent cookies
All cookies are either session cookies or persistent cookies.
Session cookies last for the length of your visit to a website. They delete themselves when you close your browser.
Session cookies can help with security. For instance, they can keep you logged on as you move around a website.
Persistent cookies stay on your device when you close your browser.
They are used for many jobs. For instance, they can remember your User ID for websites where you log on. They can also store your choices for when you go back to a website.
Organisations find them useful to see how people use their websites. They can also be used to tailor the ads and marketing you see on social media, apps and other websites.
First and third party cookies
Whether a cookie is first or third party depends on where it comes from.
First party cookies are set by websites you go to.
Third party cookies are set by outside organisations such as social media, search engines, other advertising networks, and our business partners.
Our Third Party Partners
If you have given us your consent, we may allow third parties to collect data by setting their own cookies on your device. If you use our Mobile Banking app, they may also use mobile device identifiers to personalise and measure adverts shown to you.
You can change your choices at any time. Select the 'Cookies' link at the bottom of any page of our website and go from there.
If you use one of our mobile apps, you can also change how your mobile device identifier is used by updating your settings in the app.
Here are links to the information notices for our main Third Party Partners.