Cookie policy

Cookie Policy

Last updated: October 2026

The National Education Union (NEU) uses cookies and similar technologies on neu.org.uk and related websites to provide services, improve website performance, understand how visitors use our sites, and support our campaigns, communications, and online services.

This policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, and how you can manage your preferences.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly, remember your preferences, and provide information about how visitors use online services.

Some cookies are essential for a website to operate. Others help us analyse website usage or measure the effectiveness of communications and advertising.

How we use cookies

We use cookies to:

• Keep our websites secure and functioning correctly
• Remember your cookie preferences
• Enable online forms, member services, payments and ecommerce functionality
• Understand how visitors use our websites
• Improve website performance and usability
• Measure the effectiveness of campaigns and advertising
• Support embedded content such as videos and publications

Types of cookies we use

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation and security of our websites and cannot be switched off.

They may be used to:

• Maintain secure user sessions
• Remember cookie preferences
• Protect websites from spam and malicious activity
• Process online payments
• Ensure website stability and performance

Because these cookies are necessary for the website to function, they do not require consent.

Examples

• Cloudflare security cookies
• Cookie Control consent cookies
• Stripe payment cookies
• Shopify ecommerce cookies
• Session management cookies

Analytics cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use our websites so we can improve services and content.

They may collect information such as:

• Pages viewed
• Time spent on pages
• Visitor journeys
• Website performance metrics
• Referral sources

These cookies are only used where you have provided consent.

Examples

• Google Analytics
• Microsoft Clarity

Functional cookies

Functional cookies enable enhanced website features and improve your experience.

They may be used to:

• Remember settings and preferences
• Support embedded videos and publications
• Enable personalised website functionality

These cookies may be disabled through our cookie settings, although some website features may not function fully as a result.

Examples

• YouTube
• Spotify
• Issuu

Marketing and advertising cookies

Marketing cookies help us understand the effectiveness of our communications and advertising campaigns.

They may be used to:

• Measure campaign performance
• Record visits resulting from online advertising
• Support audience measurement and reporting

These cookies are only used where you have provided consent.

Examples

• Google Ads
• DoubleClick
• Microsoft Advertising

Cookie duration

Cookies may remain on your device for different periods.

Cookie categories and retention periods

Commonly used cookies

The cookies used on our websites may change over time as we introduce new services, remove outdated systems, or improve website functionality.

The most up-to-date information is available through our Cookie Settings panel.

Third-party services

Some content and services on our websites are provided by third parties. Where you interact with these services, the relevant provider may set cookies on your device.

Third-party providers may include:

• Google
• Microsoft
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Stripe
• Shopify
• Cloudflare
• Action Network
• Issuu

These organisations are responsible for the personal data they collect through their own cookies and technologies. Please refer to their privacy policies for further information.

Managing your cookie preferences

You can review or change your cookie preferences at any time by selecting Cookie Settings at the bottom of any page on our website.

This will reopen our cookie preference centre, where you can:

• Accept or reject optional cookies
• Change previous consent choices
• Withdraw consent at any time
• View the current categories of cookies in use

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View stored cookies
• Delete cookies
• Block cookies entirely
• Block cookies from specific websites

Please note that disabling strictly necessary cookies may affect the operation of some website features.

Contact us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or personal data, please contact:

National Education Union
Hamilton House
Mabledon Place
London WC1H 9BD

Email: [email protected]

You may also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your personal data has not been handled in accordance with data protection law.

This Cookie Policy should be read alongside the NEU Privacy Notice, which explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal data.

Owner and Data Controller

National Education Union, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD

Owner contact email: [email protected]

Since the use of third-party Trackers through this Website cannot be fully controlled by the Owner, any specific references to third-party Trackers are to be considered indicative. In order to obtain complete information, Users are kindly requested to consult the privacy policies of the respective third-party services listed in this document.

Given the objective complexity surrounding tracking technologies, Users are encouraged to contact the Owner should they wish to receive any further information on the use of such technologies by this Website.

Definitions and legal references

Personal Data (or Data)

Any information that directly, indirectly, or in connection with other information — including a personal identification number — allows for the identification or identifiability of a natural person.

Usage Data

Information collected automatically through this Website (or third-party services employed in this Website), which can include: the IP addresses or domain names of the computers utilized by the Users who use this Website, the URI addresses (Uniform Resource Identifier), the time of the request, the method utilized to submit the request to the server, the size of the file received in response, the numerical code indicating the status of the server's answer (successful outcome, error, etc.), the country of origin, the features of the browser and the operating system utilized by the User, the various time details per visit (e.g., the time spent on each page within the Application) and the details about the path followed within the Application with special reference to the sequence of pages visited, and other parameters about the device operating system and/or the User's IT environment.

User

The individual using this Website who, unless otherwise specified, coincides with the Data Subject.

Data Subject

The natural person to whom the Personal Data refers.

Data Processor (or Data Supervisor)

The natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes Personal Data on behalf of the Controller, as described in this privacy policy.

Data Controller (or Owner)

The natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data, including the security measures concerning the operation and use of this Website. The Data Controller, unless otherwise specified, is the Owner of this Website.

This Website (or this Application)

The means by which the Personal Data of the User is collected and processed.

Service

The service provided by this Website as described in the relative terms (if available) and on this site/application.

European Union (or EU)

Unless otherwise specified, all references made within this document to the European Union include all current member states to the European Union and the European Economic Area.

Cookie

Cookies are Trackers consisting of small sets of data stored in the User's browser.

Tracker

Tracker indicates any technology - e.g Cookies, unique identifiers, web beacons, embedded scripts, e-tags and fingerprinting - that enables the tracking of Users, for example by accessing or storing information on the User’s device.