Template: Privacy statement and cookies policy for your website

Privacy Statement

Why do you need a privacy statement?

UK data protection legislation requires you to publish a privacy notice on your website setting out what data you collect, for what purposes and how you use and store it.

It should contain the following information:

• All relevant contact information, such as the name and contact details of your organisation (and your representative if applicable) and your data protection officer’s contact details;
• The purpose of the data you process and the lawful bases for doing so;
• The types of personal data you obtain and the data source, if the personal data is not obtained from the individual it relates to;
• All personal data that you share with other organisations and, if applicable, details of data transfers to any third countries or international organisations;
• The retention periods for the personal data you hold, or if that is not possible, the criteria used to determine the retention period; and
• Details about individuals' rights including, if applicable, the right to withdraw consent and the right to make a complaint.

We have created an editable template for you to create your own privacy statement.

Cookies policy

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files which are transferred to your computer or mobile when you visit a website or app. These small text files store small pieces of information, usually tracking the users behaviour on the website.

What is a cookie policy?

A cookie policy is information to your website users about what cookie are active on your website, what data they are tracking, why they are tracking this data and what will happen to this data.

Your policy should also include information on how users can opt out of the cookies or change the settings to control what data is tracked.

Why do I need a cookies policy?

A cookies policy is a legal requirement to have on your website. It can be displayed as part of your privacy statement or as a standalone policy on you website, but it must be present and easy for users to find and understand.

Cookies are a potential privacy risk, because they track and store users behaviour on your website, therefore it is important this policy is regularly updated.