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Cookies on surveys.ons.gov.uk

Cookies are small files saved on your phone, tablet or computer when you visit a website.

We use cookies to store information about how you use this service, such as the pages you visit.

Cookie settings

We use JavaScript to set our cookies. Javascript is not running on your browser so you cannot change your settings.

You can try:

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We use three types of cookie. You can choose which cookies you're happy for us to use.

Cookies that measure website use

We use Google Analytics to measure how you use the website so we can improve it based on user needs. Google Analytics sets cookies that store anonymised information about:

  • how you got to the site
  • the pages you visit on surveys.ons.gov.uk and how long you spend on each page
  • what you click on while you're visiting the site

Learn more about these Google Analytics cookies
Name Purpose Expires
_ga This helps us count how many people visit surveys.ons.gov.uk by tracking if you’ve visited before 2 years
_gid This helps us count how many people visit surveys.ons.gov.uk by tracking if you’ve visited before 24 hours
_gat Used to manage the rate at which page view requests are made 10 minutes

We do not allow Google to use or share the data about how you use this site.

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This selection will expire after two years.

Cookies that help with our communications

Some of our pages may contain content from other sites which may set their own cookies. These sites are sometimes called “third party” services. This tells us how many people are seeing the content and whether it’s useful.

In addition, if you share a link to a page, the service you share it on may set a cookie. We have no control over cookies set on other websites – you can turn them off, but not through us.

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Cookies that remember your settings

These cookies do things like remember your preferences and the choices you make, to personalise your experience of using the site.

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Strictly necessary cookies

These essential cookies do things like:

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  • remember your progress through a form (for example, online business surveys)

They always need to be on.

Learn more about these essential cookies

Your progress

We’ll set a cookie to remember your progress while logged in. These cookies do not store your personal data.

Name Purpose Expires
COOKIE_SUPPORT To check that your browser can support cookies When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
GUEST_LANGUAGE_ID To store your preferred language so that certain content can be displayed in your own language When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
JSESSIONID To keep your session active when using your account to access portfolio and messages When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
ID To store an encrypted identifier which is used to retrieve the information associated to your account When a user logs out or closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
COMPANY_ID To store an identifier which is used to retrieve the permissions associated to your account When a user logs out or closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
USER_UUID To store the universally unique identifier created for your account When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
LFR_SESSION_STATE_* To store the timestamp of the last request so that the session expiry warning message can be displayed When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared
Session To keep you signed in when completing a survey When a user logs out or closes the browser. Or when their cookie cache is cleared
csfcfc To store the flash object identifier for the most recent action you have performed When a user closes the browser or when their cookie cache is cleared

Cookie message

You may see a banner when you visit surveys.ons.gov.uk inviting you to accept cookies or review your settings. We’ll set cookies so that your computer knows you’ve seen it and not to show it again, and also to store your settings.

Name Purpose Expires
ons_cookie_message_displayed Lets us know that you’ve seen our cookie message 1 year
ons_cookie_policy Saves your cookie consent settings 1 year