Cookie Policy
The cookies we use on this website and how to manage them.
Last updated: 7 October 2026. Previous versions are available on request.
What cookies are
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites work, work more efficiently, and provide information to website owners. Websites can also keep information in your browser's local or session storage, which works in a similar way; in this policy, "cookies" includes these technologies. We use cookies in line with the UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Cookies we use
The table below lists the cookies and similar browser storage used on this website. We will only use non-essential cookies (analytics and advertising) with your consent.
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
hmb_consent_v2 | Records your cookie choices so we don't ask on every page. Kept in your browser's local storage, not a cookie | Essential, first-party | 12 months, then we ask again |
_vercel_* | Vercel — deployment and security | Essential, first-party | Session |
_ga | Google Analytics — distinguishes one visitor from another so we can count visits | Analytics, first-party (Google Analytics) — only with your consent | 2 years |
_ga_* | Google Analytics — keeps track of your current visit | Analytics, first-party (Google Analytics) — only with your consent | 2 years |
_gcl_au | Google Ads — lets Google tell whether an enquiry came from someone who clicked one of our adverts, so we can see whether our advertising works | Advertising, first-party (Google Ads) — only with your consent | 90 days |
_gcl_aw, _gcl_gb, _gcl_gs | Google Ads — set only when you arrive from a Google advert; records which advert, so an enquiry can be matched to it | Advertising, first-party (Google Ads) — only with your consent | 90 days |
IDE, test_cookie | Google Ads — set by Google on its own domain (doubleclick.net) when our advertising tag runs, so that Google can show our adverts to people who have visited this site. Many browsers block cookies of this kind | Advertising, third-party (Google) — only with your consent | 13 months (IDE); 15 minutes (test_cookie) |
hmb_consent_v2_vercel_*_ga_ga_*_gcl_au_gcl_aw, _gcl_gb, _gcl_gsIDE, test_cookieCookies and similar browser storage used on this website.
For further information about cookies generally, visit the ICO's guidance on cookies at ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/online/cookies/.
Essential cookies
Essential cookies are necessary for the website to work properly. They enable core functions such as page navigation, form submission, and remembering your cookie preferences. You cannot opt out of essential cookies, as the website will not function without them. Essential cookies do not collect personally identifiable information for marketing purposes.
Analytics cookies
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4, a service provided by Google, to understand how visitors use our website — for example which pages are visited, how people arrive at the site and whether an enquiry form was sent — so that we can improve it. Google Analytics does not load, and sets no cookies, unless you choose "Accept All" on our cookie banner.
We have set Google Analytics up to limit what it collects. Google signals and advertising features are switched off, and Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. When you send us an enquiry, we tell Google Analytics only which page the form was on and the type of help you asked for — never your name, contact details or message.
Google processes this information on our behalf and may process it outside the UK, including in the United States, under the safeguards Google provides. To find out more, see how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
Advertising cookies
With your consent, we also use the Google Ads tag, a service provided by Google, to measure whether our advertising works — that is, whether people who clicked one of our adverts went on to send us an enquiry — and to let Google show our adverts to people who have visited this site. The Google Ads tag does not load, and sets no cookies, unless you choose "Accept All" on our cookie banner.
When you send us an enquiry, the tag tells Google only that an enquiry was sent from this website — never your name, contact details or message. Google may link that to its own record of the advert you clicked.
Google processes this information under its own terms and may process it outside the UK, including in the United States, under the safeguards Google provides. To find out more, see how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
Third-party cookies
We do not use any social media cookies. Google Analytics and Google Ads cookies are set only with your consent, as described above. Vercel, our website hosting provider, may set cookies for deployment and security purposes. We also use Vercel Web Analytics, which counts page visits without using cookies or storing anything on your device.
Managing cookies
You can change your mind at any time using the Cookie settings link at the bottom of every page. Choosing "Reject All" withdraws your consent: Google Analytics and the Google Ads tag stop, and we delete their cookies from your browser.
You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Note that blocking essential cookies may affect website functionality. For more information, visit ICO guidance on cookies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this cookie policy if we change the cookies we use. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.