Cookies Policy

A “cookie” is a small text file that’s stored on your computer, tablet or phone when you visit a website. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognize a user’s device. They are not executable codes nor are they spyware or viruses. Like most other websites, Guaranty Trust Bank UK uses “cookies” to enhance your experience on the web and to improve our site.

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 these types enable us to remember things about you as a returning visitor. The main categories of cookies we use include:

• Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, and ensuring the security of your online banking experience. Without these cookies services you have asked for, such as applying for products and managing your accounts, cannot be provided. These cookies don’t gather information about you for the purposes of marketing.
• Performance cookies: These cookies allow us to count the number of visitors and collect information about how visitors use a web site, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor although they may collect the IP address of the device used to access the site. All information these cookies collect is anonymous and is only used to improve how a website works, the user experience and to optimize our advertising. By using our websites you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device, however you can block these cookies using your browser settings (please see “How to manage your cookies” section below).
• Functionality cookies: These cookies allow us to recognize you when you return to our website and allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name). They may also be used to provide services you have requested such as watching a video. The information these cookies collect is anonymized (i.e. it does not contain your name, address, account details, etc.) and they do not track your browsing activity across other websites. By using our websites you agree that we can place these types of cookies on your device, however you can block these cookies using your browser settings (please see “How to manage your cookies” section below).
• First and third party cookies: Whether a cookie is a first or third party cookie depends on which website the cookie comes from. First party cookies are those set by or on behalf of the website visited. All other cookies are third party cookies. Please note that third parties (including, for example, advertising networks and providers of external services like web traffic analysis services) may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies

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.

We use cookies for the following:

• collect anonymous information that will help us understand visitors’ browsing habits on our website;
• compile statistical reports on website activity, e.g. number of visitors and the pages they visit;
• temporarily store any information which you may enter in tools, such as forms on our website.

We do not use cookies to track your use of the internet after exiting our site, nor do we store any personal information in them that others could read and understand.

The browsers of most computers, smartphones and other web-enabled devices are typically set up to accept cookies. If you wish to amend your cookie preferences for this website or any other websites, you can do this through your browser settings. Your browser’s ‘help’ function will tell you how to do this. If you do not want the benefit of cookies, there is a simple procedure to manually delete your cookies. Visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/stop-cookies-installed.html to see these.

However, please remember that cookies are often used to enable and improve certain functions on our website. If you choose to switch certain cookies off, it is likely to affect how our website works. For example, if your browser is set to disable ‘session’ cookies, although you will still be able to view our public website, you won’t be able to log on to our Internet Banking service.