Cookies
Small files (known as ‘cookies’) are put onto your computer to collect information about how you browse the site.
Cookies are used to:
- measure how you use the website so it can be updated and improved based on your needs
- remember the notifications you’ve seen so that you’re not shown them again
GOV.UK cookies aren’t used to identify you personally.
You’ll normally see a message on the site before a cookie is stored on your computer.
Find out more about how to manage cookies (opens in new tab).
How cookies are used
Measuring website usage (Google Analytics)
Google Analytics software collects information about how you use the site. This is done to help make sure the site is meeting the needs of its users and to help make improvements.
Google Analytics stores information about:
- the pages you visit - how long you spend on each page
- how you got to the site
- what you click on while you’re visiting the site
Google isn’t allowed to use or share our analytics data.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| _gat | This helps us identify how you use GOV.UK so we can make the site better | 10 minutes |
| GDS_successEvents and GDS_analyticsTokens | These help us identify how you use GOV.UK so we can make the site better | 4 months |
| _ga | This helps us identify how you use GOV.UK so we can make the site better | 1 year |
| ga_nextpage_params | This stores data to be sent to Google on the next page you request | When you close your browser |
| _ga_[ID] | This tracks the session and calculates how long you have spent on the page | 1 year, 1 month, 3 days |
You can opt out of Google Analytics cookies (opens in new tab).
Cookies message
You may see a banner when you visit the Trader Support Service inviting you to accept cookies or review your settings. We will set a cookie so that your computer knows you have seen it and not to show it again, and also to store your settings.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| analytics_consent | Saves your cookie consent settings | 1 year |
Sessions
A cookie is set to record your session activity.
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| tss.lang | Records your language setting | When your session ends |
| tss.sid | Keeps you logged in to the service | 1 da |
Digital assistant cookies
The HMRC digital assistant and webchat can be found on various HMRC services pages. For the digital assistant and website to work correctly, the following cookies are required:
| Name | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| agentx-tss-chat-client-uk.hgsdigital.com | Chat activity flag, required for restoring functionality of web chat if (during a chat engagement) the user reloads the page, navigates to a new page within the Trader Support Service site or leaves the site and returns before the session timeout. | When you close your browser |