Privacy and cookies notice

A "cookie" is a small text file that's stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other device when you visit a website or use an app.

Some cookies are deleted when you close down your browser. These are known as session cookies. Others remain on your device until they expire or you delete them from your cache. These are known as persistent cookies and enable us to remember things about you as a returning visitor.

This website uses session and persistent cookies.

If you want to restrict or block the cookies we set, you can do this through your browser settings. The ‘help’ function within your browser should tell you how.

To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org. Alternatively, you can search the internet for other independent information on cookies.

If you delete cookies relating to this website we will not remember things about you, including your cookie preferences, and you will be treated as a first-time visitor the next time you visit the site.

We use cookies (and other similar technologies) to:

• Provide products and services that you request and to provide a secure online environment
• Manage our marketing relationships
• Give you a better online experience and track website performance
• Help us make our website more relevant to you

Here we explain a bit more about each of these types and how you can control their use.

Cookies that are essential for us to provide a product or service you have requested and to provide a secure online environment. Without cookies we are unable to provide some products or services that you might request. Other 'essential' cookies keep our website secure. Even if you say “No” to cookies on this website we'll continue to use these 'essential' cookies.

Essential cookies are used to:

• deliver interactive services, such as:

  • online banking
  • product applications
  • web chat
  • call-backs
• maintain online security and protect against online fraud 
• record your preference regarding our use of cookies on your device

These cookies collect aggregated information and are not used to identify you.

We use this type of cookie to understand and analyse how visitors use our online services and look for ways to improve them. For example, a cookie might tell us that lots of people give up on an application process at a particular step – so we can try to make that step easier to complete.

The analytics cookies we use include:

• Google Analytics, which uses cookies to help us analyse how our visitors use the site. Find out more about how these cookies are used on the Google privacy site.
• IBM NetInsight, to analyse how our visitors use our sites. NetInsight uses both session and persistent cookies.
• Adobe Analytics , to improve our websites and services. This service and the cookies it uses help us understand the popularity of our content and make better consumer experiences.

These cookies remember your preferences and tailor the website to provide enhanced features. Without these cookies, we cannot remember your choices or personalise your online experience.

We use this type of cookie to:

• Make online banking login faster by remembering you between visits on your personal devices
• Simplify online transactions by remembering the last account you used and showing it as the default for your next transaction
• Display your mini-statements as you like them by remembering which panels you’ve expanded and collapsed
• Remembering relevant information as you browse from page to page to save you re-entering the same information repeatedly
• Provide enhanced features, such as playing videos or allowing you to post a comment.

These cookies are usually third-party cookies from marketing partners used to deliver adverts relevant to you and your interests. These cookies can track your browsing history across websites. If you wish to prevent this type of cookie, you may do so through your device’s browser security settings.

The third-party companies we partner with include:

• Doubleclick
• Facebook
• Amazon
• OMG
• Taboola
• Google Search Adwords
• AOL
• Lovemoney
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Snapchat

As well as the cookies we use on our website, we use cookies and similar technologies in emails. These help us to understand whether you’ve opened an email and how you’ve interacted with it. Cookies may also be set if you click on a link within the email.

How to control and delete cookies

If you don't want to accept cookies in emails, you can set your browser to restrict or reject cookies, or you can close the email before downloading any images or clicking on any links.