How we use cookies
The nidirect site and some of the tools and services it links to use a number of cookies. These cookies are listed below with more details about why we use them and how long they will last.
Measuring website usage
We use Google Analytics to collect information about how people use nidirect. We do this to make sure it’s meeting people's needs and to understand how we could meet those needs better.
Google Analytics stores information about what pages you visit, how long you are on the site, how you got here and what you click on. We do not collect or store your personal details such as your name or address. We cannot identify who you are.
We do not allow Google to use or share any information we collect with other third parties.
Google Analytics
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| __utma | randomly generated number | 2 years |
| __utmb | randomly generated number | 30 minutes |
| __utmc | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| __utmx | randomly generated number | 18 months |
| __utmxx | randomly generated number | 18 months |
| __utmz | randomly generated number and information on how the site was reached (e.g. direct or via a link, organic search or paid search) | 6 months |
If you don't want Google Analytics to use information about you for the purposes of measuring website usage you can opt out:
Service availability
nidirect uses cookies that help improve service availability and security across many Northern Ireland government websites.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| ANONID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| NIGOV | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| NIGOV_.nidirect.gov.uk _%2F_wat | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
Remembering your settings
nidirect uses cookies to remember if you have received the cookie warning message so that this message doesn't appear more than once. For mobile users nidirect sets a cookie to remember your preference for viewing either the mobile or desktop version of the site.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| nid_cookie_support | true | when you close your browser |
| nid_cookie_warning_received | true | 2 years |
| nid-smartphone | 1 or 0 | 30 days |
Minimising spam
nidirect uses cookies on various feedback and registration forms to help minimise the amount of email spam we receive.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| nidirect-feedback | 1,2,3,4 or 5 | when you close your browser |
| ecar-registration | 1 | when you close your browser |
| travelwise-wts-form | 1,2 | when you close your browser |
Northern Ireland government applications that we link to
nidirect provides links to tools and services offered by websites owned by Northern Ireland government and other public sector organisations.
Cookies for maintaining your session
Many of these tools and services that nidirect links to require cookies to provide a joined-up session. These type of cookies may help you complete online forms without having to re-enter information already provided.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| ASP.NET_SessionId | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| ASPSESSIONIDxxxxxxxx | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| BGSESSIONID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| PHPSESSID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| JSESSIONID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
Book your theory test
The Book your theory test application is a service provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licence Agency Northern Ireland. This application uses cookies to measure usage and to maintain your session so that you do not have to re-enter information already provided.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| JSESSIONID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| wt_id | randomly generated number | 1 year |
| WT_FPC | randomly generated number | 10 years |
| ACOOKIE | randomly generated number | 2 years |
Calculate your redundancy payout
Calculate your redundancy payout is an application provided by nibusinessinfo. This application uses cookies to enable you to complete the task without re-entering information already provided and to help nibusinessinfo to measure use of the service.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BGSESSIONID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| s_cc | True or false | when you close your browser |
| s_sq | %5B%5BB%5D%5D | when you close your browser |
| s_vi | random unique ID | 5 years |
Buy Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland maps
The Buy Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland maps is a service provided by Land and Property Services. This application uses cookies to determine if the browser can accept session and persistent cookies, maintain session, remember if you have already logged-in and provide checkout functionality.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Commerce_TestPersistentCookie | TestCookie | 1 day |
| Commerce_TestSessionCookie | TestCookie | when you close your browser |
| ASP.NET_SessionId | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| CS_userID | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| PCOOKIE | randomly generated number | 24 hours or when you log out |
| name | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
Traffic updates
The Traffic updates service is provided by TrafficwatchNI within DFI Roads. This application uses cookies to measure use of the service, maintain your session and remember your preferences and selections.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| ASPSESSIONIDQCBDASQS | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| usercams | 1,3,4 | 1 year |
| lastscrollerpos | 454px | when you close your browser |
| __utma | randomly generated number | 2 years |
| __utmb | randomly generated number | 30 minutes |
| __utmc | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| __utmz | randomly generated number | 6 months |
Benefits Adviser
The nidirect Benefits Adviser is an application provided by the Department for Work and Pensions to check which benefits you may be entitled to. This application uses cookies to measure use of the service, help site navigation, user authentication and service availability.
| Name of cookie | Typical content | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| COOKIEAC | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| ORA_WX_SESSION | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| portal | randomly generated number including your country of origin and language preferences | when you close your browser |
| ObSSOCookie | randomly generated number | when you close your browser |
| WT_FPC | randomly generated number including your public IP address | 10 years |
'Third-party' cookies
Third-party cookies are cookies created by a website other than the one you are currently visiting. nidirect currently embeds services from third party websites to provide extra functionality.
Google Maps
nidirect uses Google Maps to provide visual geo-location information on various government organisations and services.
For more information please visit Google's Privacy Policy.
YouTube
nidirect embeds videos from our official YouTube channel using YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode. This mode may set the following cookies on your computer once you click on the YouTube video player, but YouTube will not store personally-identifiable cookie information for playbacks of embedded videos using the privacy-enhanced mode.
For more information please visit YouTube’s embedding videos information page.
nidirect uses the Facebook 'Like' plugin on various pages to share nidirect content with other Facebook users.
For more information please visit Facebook's page on Cookies, Pixels & Similar Technologies.
nidirect uses the Twitter 'Tweet' plugin on various pages to share nidirect content with other Twitter users.
For more information please visit Twitter's Privacy Policy.