How we use cookies on our website
About this cookie notice
This notice explains how we use cookies that are placed on our website and how we collect, use and share the information they capture. It also explains the rights you have with regards to the data captured.
This notice applies to the processing of data and the use of cookies that are contained within our website. Please refer to our privacy notice for further information on how we process personal data for other purposes.
Our remit
We are appointed by Homes England to manage Help to Buy schemes across:
- Merseyside
- Lancashire
- Greater Manchester
- Cumbria
- Cheshire
- Durham
- Northumberland
- Tyne and Wear
- North Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- East Riding of Yorkshire
Homes England are the data controller of the data processed. This means that they are responsible for deciding how data is collected, used and stored.
Information we collect
We do not collect personal data about you when you use our website. We do however use cookies to understand how users interact with it.
The cookies we use are anonymised and not used to identify you personally.
About cookies
We put small files (known as ‘cookies’) onto your device to collect anonymised information about how you browse the site using that device.
Cookies are used to remember your progress and measure how you use the website so it can be updated and improved based on your needs.
How we use cookies
Strictly necessary cookies
These help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. These cannot be declined.
When you first visit our website, you will see a pop-up welcome message. The message will ask for your permission to either accept and continue, manage preferences, or decline that cookies that are placed on your device.
We will store a cookie in order to remember your chosen preferences and so that your computer knows you’ve seen the message and knows not to show it again.
| Name |
Provider |
Purpose |
Expiry |
| Cookie Consent |
Osano |
Stores the user’s cookie consent state for the current domain |
1 year |
| ASP.NET_SessionId |
www.helptobuyagent1.org.uk |
General purpose platform session cookie, used by sites written with Microsoft .NET based technologies. Usually used to maintain an anonymised user session by the server. |
Session |
| ApplicationFormCookie |
www.helptobuyagent1.org.uk |
Stores a globally unique identifier to save your AHO progress and submission. |
Session |
Performance cookies
These help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting on anonymous aggregated usage information.
Google analytics
We use Google analytics software to collect information about how you use the website through performance cookies. We do this to help make sure the site is meeting the needs of its users and to help us 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
You can find out more information about Google analytics by reading Google’s overview of privacy and safeguarding data (opens in a new window).
| Name |
Provider |
Purpose |
Expiry |
| _ga |
Universal Analytics (Google) |
This helps us distinguish users within analytics, for example, by tracking if you’ve visited our site before, or are a new user |
2 years |
| _gid |
Universal Analytics (Google) |
This helps us distinguish users within analytics, for example, by tracking if you’ve visited our site before, or are a new user |
24 hours |
| _gat |
Universal Analytics (Google) |
Used to throttle request rate. If Google Analytics is deployed via Google Tag Manager, this cookie will be named _dc_gtm_<property-id>. |
1 minute |
| _gac_<property-id> |
Universal Analytics (Google) |
Contains campaign related information for the user. If you have linked your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts, Google Ads website conversion tags will read this cookie unless you opt-out. |
90 days |
| AMP_Token |
Universal Analytics (Google) |
Contains a token that can be used to retrieve a Client ID from AMP Client ID service. Other possible values indicate opt-out, inflight request or an error retrieving a Client ID from AMP Client ID service. |
30 seconds to 1 year |
| _utma |
Google |
Used to distinguish users and sessions. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing __utma cookies exists. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
2 years |
| _utmt |
Google |
Used to throttle request rate. |
10 minutes |
| _utmb |
Google |
Used to determine new sessions/visits. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing __utmb cookies exists. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
30 seconds |
| _utmc |
Google |
Not used in ga.js. Set for interoperability with urchin.js. Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether the user was in a new session/visit. |
End of browser session |
| _utmz |
Google |
Stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how the user reached your site. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
6 months |
| _utmv |
Google |
Used to store visitor-level custom variable data. This cookie is created when a developer uses the _setCustomVar method with a visitor level custom variable. This cookie was also used for the deprecated _setVar method. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics. |
2 years |
| utm_source |
Google |
Stores information about which particular link directed a user to the website. |
|
| utm_medium |
Google |
Stores information about which channel was used to drive traffic to the website, for example, a link in an email, or on another website. |
|
| utm_campaign |
Google |
Stores information about a particular campaign that has been set up to encourage visitors the website. |
|
ShareThis
We use ShareThis to encourage website visitors who find our content interesting and useful to share it with others who may be interested.
ShareThis use three types of cookie:
1. Analytics Cookies: Placed on your browser, these help ShareThis provide insights to us on your activities on our website. This insight includes how frequently your device has been visited, or how your device has interacted with our website.
2. Market Research Cookies: ShareThis place these cookies on your browser, or enable one of their partners to place this cookie. These count how frequently you have accessed our website and enable the evaluation of the success of particular marketing programs by collecting aggregate data across multiple websites.
3. Targeted Advertising Cookies: Placed on your device, these help ShareThis to deliver or enable the delivery of advertising that is customized to your interests and to keep track of how many ads you have seen.
Social media
We use social media to attract visitors to our website. You should be aware that third parties, including social media sites, may use cookies, web beacons and other storage technologies to collect or receive information from our websites and elsewhere on the Internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads.
Your right to withdraw consent
When you first visit this website we will ask for your consent to place cookies on your device, and give you the option to manage your preferences.
If you chose to accept and therefore provide consent to the use of cookies, you can withdraw this consent at any time by following the instructions below.
Web-browser – opt-out
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set, visit www.aboutcookies.org (opens in a new window) or www.allaboutcookies.org (opens in a new window).
Find out how to manage cookies on popular browsers:
• Google Chrome (opens in a new window)
• Microsoft Edge (opens in a new window)
• Mozilla Firefox (opens in a new window)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer (opens in a new window)
• Opera (opens in a new window)
• Apple Safari (opens in a new window)
To find information relating to other browsers, visit the browser developer's website.
Ad targeting – opt-out
More information about how to opt out of the collection and use of information for ad targeting, or to exercise such choice, is available online at:
• Your Ad Choices (opens in a new window)
• Your online choices (opens in a new window)
Google Analytics - opt-out
Opt-out of Google Analytics (opens in a new window).
Twitter - opt-out
The code provided by Twitter to include functionality on our website may set cookies.
Opt-out of Twitter cookies (opens in a new window).
Facebook – opt-out
Facebook uses cookies if you have an account, use Facebook Products (including their website and apps) or visit other websites and apps that use the Facebook Products (including the Like button or other Facebook technologies).
Opt-out of Facebook cookies (opens in a new window).
LinkedIn opt-out:
LinkedIn use cookies on their sites (such as linkedin.com and slideshare.net) and mobile applications. Any browser visiting these sites will receive cookies from LinkedIn. They also place cookies in your browser when you visit non-LinkedIn sites that host their plugins (for example, LinkedIn’s ‘Share’ button) or tags.
Opt-out of LinkedIn advertising cookies (opens in a new window).
ShareThis opt-out
Opt-out of ShareThis data collection (opens in a new window).
Data subject rights
Though personal data is not collected via the website, you may still wish to exercise your rights under data protection legislation. In certain circumstances you have the following rights over the processing of your personal data as described in this notice:
• right of access to personal data;
• right to correction or rectification;
• right to request deletion; and
• right to data portability.
We must respond to a request to exercise these rights within one month. If you would like to submit a request, please contact the data protection officer.
Data protection officer
The contact details for our data protection officer are as follows:
By post: For the attention of the Data Protection Officer, Homes England, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London , SW1H 0TL
By email: DPO@homesengland.gov.uk
By Phone: 0300 1234 500
Complaints
If you are unhappy with any aspect of this privacy notice, or how your personal data is being processed, please contact our data protection officer.
If you are still not happy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk