What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device. Similar technologies include local storage, which lets a site store information in your browser. Under the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the EU ePrivacy Directive, we must ask for your consent before using any that aren't strictly necessary.
How we use them
We keep things minimal. Nothing beyond strictly necessary storage is used until you make a choice in our cookie banner. We use:
- Strictly necessary storage to remember your theme and your cookie choice, the jobs you save, and your recent calculators and measurements so you can pick up where you left off. It stays on your device, is never sent to us, and you can clear the history with "Forget my history" on our homepage.
- Analytics cookies from Google Analytics, only if you allow them, so we can see how many people visit and which calculators they use.
- Advertising cookies set by Google, only when ads are shown. These are used for personalised ads only if you click "Accept all" or switch Advertising on. If you reject them, Google may still show non-personalised ads.
Strictly necessary
| Name | Type | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| uktoolcalc_consent | Local storage (first party) | Stores your cookie choice so we don't ask on every page | Until you clear it |
| uktoolcalc_theme | Local storage (first party) | Remembers light or dark mode | Until you clear it |
| uktoolcalc_jobs | Local storage (first party) | Holds the jobs you save with Add to job. Only created when you save a job, and never sent to us | Until you delete the job or clear it |
| uktoolcalc_recent | Local storage (first party) | The last few calculators you used, for the "Pick up where you left off" list on our homepage. Never sent to us | Until you tap "Forget my history" or clear it |
| uktoolcalc_inputs | Local storage (first party) | Your last measurements on each calculator, so they're filled in when you come back. Never sent to us. "Start fresh" on a calculator clears that one | Until you tap "Forget my history" or clear it |
| uktoolcalc_custom | Local storage (first party) | The calculators you save on our Build your own calculator page. Only created when you save one, and never sent to us | Until you delete them or clear it |
| uktoolcalc_projects | Local storage (first party) | Which saved job belongs to which project planner. Only created when you start a project | Until you clear it |
| uktoolcalc_install_dismissed | Local storage (first party) | Remembers that you tapped "Not now" on the install-the-app suggestion, so we don't ask again for 30 days | Until you clear it |
Analytics (Google Analytics)
These cookies are only set if you choose Accept all or switch on Analytics in your cookie settings. They tell us how many people visit, which pages and calculators are used, and how visitors found the site. Google Analytics 4 does not store IP addresses.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics (uktoolcalc.uk) | Distinguishes visitors with a random ID | 2 years |
| _ga_<container-id> | Google Analytics (uktoolcalc.uk) | Keeps track of your session on this site | 2 years |
Learn more in How Google uses information from sites that use its services, or block Google Analytics on all sites with the Google Analytics opt-out add-on.
Advertising (Google AdSense)
When adverts are shown, Google may set or read the following cookies. With your consent they are used for personalised advertising; without it, Google limits their use to non-personalised ads, fraud prevention and frequency capping as permitted by law.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| __gads | Google (uktoolcalc.uk) | Ad delivery, frequency capping and measuring ad performance | 13 months |
| __gpi | Google (uktoolcalc.uk) | Ad delivery and measurement | 13 months |
| __eoi | Google (uktoolcalc.uk) | Security and preventing ad fraud | 6 months |
| IDE | Google (doubleclick.net) | Personalised advertising across websites | 13 months |
| test_cookie | Google (doubleclick.net) | Checks whether your browser accepts cookies | 15 minutes |
Google may also use other identifiers. For an up-to-date list, see Google's advertising cookies list and How Google uses cookies.
Other third parties
- Amazon.co.uk: when you click an affiliate product link, Amazon sets cookies on its own website to track qualifying purchases. We don't set Amazon cookies on our site.
- Fonts and icons are served from our own server, so no third party is contacted just to display the page.
How to control cookies
- Use to accept or reject analytics and advertising cookies at any time.
- Manage Google ad personalisation at adssettings.google.com.
- Block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Help: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge.
Blocking all cookies won't stop the calculators working. More about how we handle personal data is in our Privacy Policy.