Cookie Policy
How we use cookies and similar technologies on our website.
Last updated: 1 January 2026
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, to provide a better browsing experience, and to supply information to the owners of the site.
Cookies can be "persistent" (they remain on your device until they expire or are manually deleted) or "session" cookies (they are deleted when you close your browser). Cookies can also be "first-party" (set by the website you are visiting) or "third-party" (set by a different domain).
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar technologies we use on heavytech.co.uk (the "Website") and the Heavy Tech platform, why we use them, and how you can control them.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for the following purposes:
2.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the Website and platform to function correctly. They enable core features such as security, session management, and accessibility. Without these cookies, the Services cannot function properly. Because they are strictly necessary, these cookies cannot be disabled.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| session_id | Maintains your authenticated session on the platform | Session |
| csrf_token | Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
| cookie_consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences | 12 months |
2.2 Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This data helps us improve the Website's structure, content, and user experience. Analytics cookies are only placed with your consent.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a client identifier | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Used to persist session state across page requests | 2 years |
| _gid | Distinguishes users for analytics purposes | 24 hours |
| _gat | Throttles request rate to limit data collection on high-traffic sites | 1 minute |
2.3 Functional Cookies
These cookies enable enhanced functionality and personalisation, such as remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have integrated into our pages.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| theme_preference | Remembers your display preferences (e.g. dark/light mode) | 12 months |
| locale | Remembers your language and regional settings | 12 months |
3. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies are placed by third-party services that appear on our pages. We do not control the setting of these cookies. The third parties that set cookies through our Website are:
- Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to analyse traffic to our Website. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information about how visitors use our site, including the number of visitors, the pages they visit, and the referral source. This data is aggregated and anonymised. Google's privacy policy is available at policies.google.com/privacy.
- Microsoft Azure: Our platform is hosted on Microsoft Azure, which may set cookies necessary for load balancing, session affinity, and security. Microsoft's privacy policy is available at privacy.microsoft.com.
4. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
You have several options for managing cookies:
4.1 Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically find these options in your browser's "Settings", "Preferences", or "Privacy" menu. The following links provide instructions for common browsers:
Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Website and platform. If you disable strictly necessary cookies, some features may not work as intended.
4.2 Google Analytics Opt-Out
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
4.3 Do Not Track
Some browsers support a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that your browsing activity is not tracked. Our Website currently responds to DNT signals by disabling non-essential analytics cookies where technically feasible.
5. Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use other similar technologies:
- Local storage: We may use browser local storage to store certain preferences and settings locally on your device. Unlike cookies, local storage data is not sent to the server with each request.
- Session storage: Similar to local storage, but data is cleared when you close your browser tab or window.
6. Cookies and Personal Data
Some cookies may collect personal data (such as your IP address). Where this occurs, we process that personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection legislation, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in technology, or changes in applicable legislation. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when we make changes. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
8. Contact Us
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
- Email: info@heavytech.co.uk
- Post: Heavy Technology Solutions Limited, Suite 6, 1a Broom Street, Swinton, Manchester, M27 5AN
- Company No.: 14763677