Cookies and similar technologies

This page explains the small amount of browser storage this site uses, and how you can control it.

Essential

Needed for the site to function: your cookie preference itself, and basic security measures. These are always on and cannot be switched off, because the site cannot work correctly without them.

Analytics

Helps us understand which pages and tools are used, through our own first-party analytics and Google Analytics 4. Off by default. Only switched on after you actively accept analytics in the consent banner.

Marketing

Would be used for advertising or retargeting. Off by default. We currently have no marketing or advertising technology on this site at all.

Non-essential is off until you say otherwise

Analytics and marketing storage are switched off by default and are only set once you give explicit consent through the cookie banner shown on your first visit. Nothing non-essential runs before that choice is made.

Google Analytics 4

Consent only

We use Google Analytics 4, a third-party analytics service provided by Google, loaded as a single Google Analytics tag (we do not run a Google Tag Manager container). It is switched off until you actively accept analytics: before that choice, no Google script is loaded, no request is made to any Google domain and no Google cookie is set. If you accept and later withdraw, Google measurement storage is set back to denied and no further events are sent.

When analytics storage is allowed, Google Analytics can use first-party measurement cookies on this site, including the _ga cookie used for a client identifier. These are Google Analytics cookies rather than storage written by our own feature code.

The custom event information we deliberately send is limited to short categorical labels, for example which page type was viewed, which tool was started or which broad result band was shown. We do not put your name, email address, message text, readiness-checker answers or financial figures into those event parameters. Google Analytics' standard web measurement also collects technical and usage information described by Google, including session statistics, browser/device information and approximate geolocation.

Advertising and personalisation storage remain denied, and there is no Meta Pixel or other advertising tracker on this site.

Browser storage inventory

This list covers the browser-storage keys used by Before You Apply features and the known first-party Google Analytics measurement cookies used after analytics consent. Google Analytics cookies are created by the Google tag; the other entries are written by our application code.

bya.consent.v1Essential
Your analytics and marketing choices. Contains no personal information.
Kept in local storage until you clear it or change your choice.
bya.session.v1Analytics — consent only
A random, rotating label used to group events from one browsing session. Not derived from personal data.
Session storage only — discarded when the browser tab is closed.
bya.checker.v1Feature you started
Your broad answers in the readiness checker, so you can pause and return.
Local storage until you select 'Start again' or clear your browser storage.
bya.submit.v1Essential
Timestamps of your recent form submissions, used only to prevent accidental duplicate or flooded submissions.
Session storage only — discarded when the browser tab is closed.
_ga, _ga_<stream>Analytics — consent only
Google Analytics 4 cookies, set only after you accept analytics. They distinguish visits and pages, and never carry your name, email, message text or any figure you type.
Google documents a default expiry of up to 2 years. Withdrawing analytics consent stops further Google Analytics measurement from this site; clear site cookies in your browser if you want an existing Analytics cookie removed immediately.

Before You Apply does not put your name, email address, message text or financial figures into its own browser-storage entries. The Google Analytics entry above is limited to analytics measurement and is available only after analytics consent.

Changing your preferences

You can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie preferences" control in the footer of every page, or the button below. Reopening it lets you switch analytics or marketing on or off again without losing anything else. Withdrawing analytics consent takes effect immediately: Google measurement storage is set back to denied and no further events are sent.

Clearing cookies and local storage yourself

You can also clear stored preferences and cookies directly through your browser's settings, usually under "privacy", "site settings" or "clear browsing data". Clearing BYA local storage will reset your consent choice, and you will be asked again on your next visit. Clearing site cookies also removes any Google Analytics first-party measurement cookies held in that browser for this site.

A note on wording

Before You Apply's own preference and feature state uses local or session storage rather than traditional tracking cookies. If you accept analytics, Google Analytics can additionally use first-party measurement cookies as described above. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.