Cookies Policy

Effective Date: September 2025

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners.

Cookies can be:

• Session cookies – deleted automatically when you close your browser.

• Persistent cookies – remain on your device until they expire or you delete them.

• First-party cookies – set by our website.

• Third-party cookies – set by external services we use (such as analytics tools).

2. How We Use Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

1. Essential cookies

   • These cookies are necessary for the operation of our website.

   • They allow you to navigate pages, access secure areas, and use features such as booking a consultation form.

   • Without these cookies, our website may not function correctly.

2. Performance and analytics cookies

   • These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting information such as which pages are visited most often and how users move around the site.

   • We use services like Google Analytics to analyse website traffic.

   • All data collected is aggregated and anonymous.

3. Functionality cookies

   • These cookies remember your preferences and choices to improve your experience on our website.

   • For example, they may remember your name and email address when filling in forms so you don’t have to re-enter them.

4. Advertising and targeting cookies

   • From time to time, we may use cookies that track browsing habits so we can deliver relevant adverts and marketing messages.

   • These may be set by third-party advertising networks such as Google or social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn).

   • They help us measure the effectiveness of campaigns.

3. Third-Party Cookies

We sometimes work with trusted third parties who place cookies on your device. These may include:

• Google Analytics – to measure and analyse traffic.

• Facebook Pixel / LinkedIn Insight Tag – to measure the performance of advertising campaigns.

• Payment or booking providers – if you make use of integrated services.

We do not control third-party cookies, and we encourage you to review their policies for more information.

4. Legal Basis for Using Cookies

Under UK and EU data protection law (including the UK GDPR), we must have a legal basis to process personal data collected via cookies. Our legal bases include:

• Legitimate interests – for cookies that are essential to running the site securely.

• Consent – for analytics, advertising, and other non-essential cookies.

When you first visit our site, you will see a cookie banner that allows you to accept, reject, or customise your cookie preferences.

5. Managing and Controlling Cookies

You can manage cookies in several ways:

1. Cookie banner: Use our on-site cookie banner to set or update your preferences.

2. Browser settings: You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings (instructions are available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari).

3. Opt-out tools: You can opt out of personalised ads using services such as www.youronlinechoices.com.

Please note: disabling some cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

6. Data Collected by Cookies

Cookies may collect information such as:

• Device type and browser

• IP address (truncated/anonymised in Google Analytics)

• Pages visited and actions taken on our website

• Time spent on pages

We do not use cookies to collect sensitive personal data (e.g., financial information, health data).

7. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, law, or our business practices. The updated version will always be posted on this page with a revised “Effective Date” at the top.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about how we use cookies, please contact us:

Smart AI Accounting Ltd
📧 Email: info@smartaiaccounting.com
🌍 Website: www.smartaiaccounting.com