Cookie Notice
This Cookie Notice explains how YHA (England & Wales) ('YHA', 'we', 'our') uses cookies and similar tracking technologies (jointly referred to as 'cookies') when you access our online services. This includes how we use cookies to ensure that the YHA website functions, measure how users interact with our online content, and inform our digital marketing and charitable campaigns.
We give you a choice of which cookies to accept, though 'necessary' cookies are required to ensure that the website works. This notice also details what your choices are and how you can manage your preferences.
YHA will occasionally update this Cookie Notice to reflect changes in our services. When we change this notice, we will revise the ‘last updated’ date at the top. It is advisable to periodically review your cookie choices to ensure they continue to reflect your preferences.
Contents
1. How cookies and tracking technologies work
A web browser cookie is a simple text file that is stored on your computer or mobile device. It can track how you use a website including what content you view and interact with.
The next time you visit the same website, your browser sends the previously stored cookie back to the server. This allows the server to recognise you as a returning user so it can remember your preferences and help us improve your online experience.
Types of cookies
Cookies are either 'session' based or 'persistent':
- Session cookies are temporary and only exist until you close your browser, ending your 'session'.
- Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser for a set amount of time or until they expire. This allows the website to recognise you over longer periods.
Cookies are also divided into 'first-party' and 'third-party':
- First-party cookies are the cookies served by the owner of the domain. In our case, that's yha.org.uk. Any cookie we set ourselves is a 'first-party cookie'.
- Third-party cookies are cookies served on our domains by trusted partners that we've authorised to do so. These can be used to provide security, advertising or social media services and more.
Web browser cookies may store information such as your browser type, details of content you view or interact with, your IP address and other identifiers. By storing this information, we can remember your preferences and measure how you use our online services.
Other tracking technologies
We also use tracking technologies that are similar to web browser cookies. Our website and emails may contain small transparent image files or lines of code that store how you interact with our content. These include scripts, web beacons, tracking URLs and system logs and other technologies (all referred to as 'cookies' in this notice), as explained below.
Scripts
Scripts are small snippets of code embedded within our web pages that provide a wide range of extra functionality. Scripts make it possible for our website to function correctly. For example, some of our scripts enable security features and interactive features that improve your online experience.
They can also be used for advertising to inform our charitable campaigns or measure how you use our website. A script can collect information about which pages you visit or the content you interact with.
Web beacons
Web beacons can also be known as tags, web tags, tracking pixels, clear GIFs, image tags, tracking bugs or web bugs. These beacons consist of a graphic image delivered to your device as part of a web page request, in an advertisement or a HTML email message.
They can be used to retrieve information from your device, such as your operating system, device type, IP address and the time of your visit.
Our third-party partners may also use web beacons to track how you interact with our content. For example, if you open an email and then if you click on any links within it.
Tracking URLs
Tracking URLs are links that include a unique identifier. These are used to track which marketing channel brought you to our website. For example, if you click a link from our social media page, search engine or one of our affiliate partners' websites.
Our third-party partners may also use tracking URLs to measure the performance of our content. For example, tracking which links you clicked in an email you received.
System logs and other technologies
System logs and other technologies are used to collect many additional types of information. We collect information about the device you use to access the YHA website and emails, your browser type, operating system type, time zone, device language and other system settings.
Our system logs also record the device's IP address you use to connect to our online services. These tools help us improve user experience, fix issues and deliver our services.
2. How we use cookies
Cookies are used to collect information, including:
- web pages you have visited
- your IP address
- information about your device
- information about your browser
- internet service provider
- timestamp
- whether you have responded to an advertisement
- a referral URL (the web page you viewed before it sent you to the YHA website)
- features used or activities engaged in on our online services
Using cookies allows you to be recognised as a unique user across our website. Cookies set when you visit our website can be categorised into necessary, analytical and marketing cookies.
Necessary cookies
These cookies are required and set when you visit YHA's website. They serve to operate the website and its features in a workable fashion.
We use functional cookies to create technologically advanced, user-friendly websites that adapt automatically to your needs and preferences so you can browse and book effortlessly. Our use of functional cookies also includes enabling essential security and accessibility features.
More specifically, these cookies enable our website to work correctly, allowing you to make a booking, create an account and log in.
| Name | Category | Vendor | Expires | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affiliate Future | Third-party | Affiliate Future | 30 days | Cookies used by Affiliate Future to allow conversion tracking for fulfilment of cashback incentives (read more). |
| Cirrus Connects | Third-party | Cirrus Connects | Varying | Cookies used by Cirrus Connects to allow you to interact with live chat for help on specific webpages (read more). |
| __cf_bm | First-party | Cloudflare | Session | This cookie is used by Cloudflare to manage incoming traffic that matches criteria associated with bots (read more). |
| Cloudflare | Third-party | Cloudflare | Varying | Cookies used by Cloudflare to provide site security services (read more). |
| cookiehub | First-party | CookieHub | 365 days | This cookie is used by CookieHub to store whether you have accepted or declined the use of the cookie categories used on yha.org.uk (read more). |
| PayPal | Third-party | PayPal | Varying | Cookies used by PayPal to enable the website to process PayPal payments (read more). |
| __stripe_sid | First-party | Stripe | 393 days | This cookie is used by our payment provider, Stripe, to remember who you are. It enables the website to process payments without storing card details (read more). |
| __stripe_mid | First-party | Stripe | 365 days | This cookie is used by our payment provider, Stripe, to remember who you are. It enables the website to process payments without storing card details (read more). |
| m | First-party | Stripe | 400 days | This cookie is used by our payment provider, Stripe, for fraud prevention and detection (read more). |
| Stripe | Third-party | Stripe | Varying | Cookies used by our payment provider, Stripe, to verify if your browser has JavaScript enabled and remember this (read more). |
| SSESS* | First-party | yha.org.uk | 1 day | This cookie is used by yha.org.uk to remember who you are (for example, to keep you logged in on the site). |
| testCookie | First-party | yha.org.uk | 1 day | This cookie is used by yha.org.uk to verify if your browser is set to allow or block cookies. |
Analytical cookies
These cookies collect data for statistical purposes on how our website is used so we can improve your user experience.
More specifically, these cookies help us to:
- identify website issues and fix them quickly
- understand how users interact with our website
- improve our website and communication to ensure we offer relevant and interesting content
- understand the effectiveness of charitable campaigns such as advertisements and communications
- understand how users interact with our website after they’re shown an online ad, including ads on third-party websites
The data we collect through these cookies can include which web pages you have viewed, the referral URL, where you landed on the website, where you left the website, which email you opened, which link you clicked, how far you scrolled down the page and the data and time of each event.
| Name | Category | Vendor | Expires | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquia Optimize | First-party | Acquia | 30 days | Cookies used by Acquia Optimize to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| give_source | First-party | getinvolved.yha.org.uk | Session | This cookie is used to measure the performance of our charitable marketing, based on donations. |
| give_medium | First-party | getinvolved.yha.org.uk | Session | This cookie is used to measure the performance of our charitable marketing, based on donations. |
| give_campaign | First-party | getinvolved.yha.org.uk | Session | This cookie is used to measure the performance of our charitable marketing, based on donations. |
| give_content | First-party | getinvolved.yha.org.uk | Session | This cookie is used to measure the performance of our charitable marketing, based on donations. |
| _ga_* | First-party | 730 days | This cookie is used by Google Analytics 4 to connect two distinct hits to the same user across browsing sessions over a long period of time (read more). | |
| _ga | First-party | 730 days | This cookie is used by Google Analytics 4 to connect two distinct hits to the same user across browsing sessions over a long period of time (read more). | |
| _gid | First-party | 1 day | This cookie is used by Google Analytics 4 to connect two distinct hits to the same user across browsing sessions on a short period of time (read more). | |
| _gat_* | First-party | Session | This cookie is used by Google Analytics 4 to limit collection of data on high traffic sites (read more). | |
| YouTube | Third-party | YouTube | Varying | Cookies used to play videos embedded from YouTube (read more). |
| _hjSessionUser_* | First-party | Hotjar | 365 days | This cookie is used by Hotjar to store a unique user ID when a user first lands on a page. It is used to connect subsequent visits to the same user (read more). |
| _hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress | First-party | Hotjar | 1 hour | This cookie is used by Hotjar to track the beginning of a user’s journey for a total session count (read more). |
| _hjIncludedInPageviewSample | First-party | Hotjar | 1 hour | This cookie is used by Hotjar to identify if a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site’s pageview limit (read more). |
| _hjSession_* | First-party | Hotjar | 1 hour | This cookie holds the current session data. It is used by Hotjar to connect subsequent requests to the same session (read more). |
| _hjIncludedInSessionSample | First-party | Hotjar | 1 hour | This cookie is used by Hotjar to identify if a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's daily session limit (read more). |
| _hjFirstSeen | First-party | Hotjar | 1 hour | This cookie is used by Hotjar to identify a new user’s first session (read more). |
| Hotjar | Third-party | Hotjar | Varying | Cookies used by Hotjar to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| _pk_id.* | First-party | Matomo | 1 day | This cookie is used by Matomo to store a unique user ID to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| _pk_ses.* | First-party | Matomo | 1 day | This cookie is used by Matomo to temporarily hold the current session data (read more). |
| _clck | First-party | Microsoft | 365 days | This cookie is used to store a unique user ID when a user first lands on a page with the Microsoft Clarity script. It is used to connect subsequent visits to the same user (read more). |
| _clsk | First-party | Microsoft | 1 day | This cookie is used by Microsoft Clarity to connect multiple page views by a user into a single session recording (read more). |
| _cltk | First-party | Microsoft | Session | This cookie is used by Microsoft Clarity to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| Microsoft Clarity | Third-party | Microsoft | Varying | Cookies used by Microsoft Clarity to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| New Relic | First-party | New Relic | Varying | Cookies used by New Relic to provide site performance and analytics services (read more). |
| UserSnap | Third-party | UserSnap | Varying | Cookies used by UserSnap to provide site performance and user feedback services (read more). |
Marketing cookies
YHA and our trusted partners use these cookies to collect information about you over time across multiple websites, applications and other platforms. They help us display advertisements that we believe are relevant to you and your interests both on and off our website.
More specifically, these cookies help us to:
- Display personalised adverts we believe are relevant to you based on the information we know about you.
- Display retargeting adverts based on your browsing activities, such as the hostel pages you have visited and may be shown to you both before and after you leave our website. Their aim is to encourage you to browse and return to our website.
- Categorise you into a particular interest profile, for example, based on the websites you visit and your click behaviour. We use these profiles to display personalised content (such as travel ideas or specific accommodation) on yha.org.uk and other websites.
Social media platforms
Marketing cookies are also used to allow you to like or share content on social media platforms – such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube – by integrating like and share buttons provided by each social media channel.
These cookies can be functional but can also be used to keep track of which websites you visit from their network, build a profile of your online browsing behaviour, and show you personalised adverts.
Where you consent to it, we use cookies for ‘microtargeting’ including the Meta Pixel, via Facebook Business Tools. Microtargeting works through the use of electronic tools including ‘Tracking Pixels’. These are designed to track your browsing habits, likes and social interactions across the internet in order to build up a profile about you. This profile is used to tailor advertisements to your specific interests. Facebook Ireland is a Joint Controller of the Meta Pixel data used for this purpose - see Facebook Ireland's Privacy Policy. Any data rights requests concerning the associated cookies data should be directed to Facebook Ireland.
To learn more about what social media platforms do with your data, view their cookie and privacy statements:
- Meta (includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network)
- Google (includes YouTube)
- TikTok
- X (formerly Twitter)
| Name | Category | Vendor | Expires | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affc | First-party | Affiliate Future | 30 days | This cookie is used by Affiliate Future to facilitate payment of referral commission fees to advertising partners when the user makes a purchase (read more). |
| Affiliate Future | Third-party | Affiliate Future | 30 days | Cookies used by Affiliate Future to measure the performance of our affiliate marketing, based on purchases (read more). |
| _gcl_au | First-party | 90 days | This cookie is used by Google AdSense to measure the performance of our marketing based on how you interact with the website (read more). | |
| Google Adwords | Third-party | Varying | Cookies used by Google Adwords to provide conversion tracking, optimisation and remarketing services (read more). | |
| Google Doubleclick | Third-party | Varying | Cookies used by Google Doubleclick to provide conversion tracking and optimisation services (read more). | |
| _fbp | First-party | Meta | 90 days | This cookie is the Meta Pixel used by Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network to provide advertising services such as real-time bidding from third-party advertisers (read more). |
| Meta | Third-party | Meta | Varying | Cookies used by Meta including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network to provide conversion tracking, optimisation and remarketing services (read more). |
| _uetvid | First-party | Microsoft | 390 days | This cookie is used by Microsoft Advertising to store a unique user ID. It is used to personalise marketing based on how you interact with the website (read more). |
| _uetsid | First-party | Microsoft | 1 day | This cookie is used by Bing to determine which adverts should be displayed based on how you interact with the website (read more). |
| _uetsid_exp | First-party | Microsoft | Persistent | This cookie is used by Microsoft Bing Ads to enable engagement with a user who has previously visited our website (read more). |
| _uetvid_exp | First-party | Microsoft | Persistent | This cookie is used by Microsoft Bing Ads to enable engagement with a user who has previously visited our website (read more). |
| uetsid | First-party | Microsoft | Persistent | This cookie is used by Bing to determine which adverts should be displayed based on how you interact with the website (read more). |
| Third-party | Varying | Cookies used by Pinterest to provide conversion tracking, optimisation and remarketing services (read more). | ||
| TikTok | Third-party | TikTok | Varying | Cookies used by TikTok to provide conversion tracking, optimisation and remarketing services (read more). |
| X (formerly Twitter) | Third-party | X (formerly Twitter) | Varying | Cookies used by X (formerly Twitter) to provide conversion tracking, optimisation and remarketing services (read more). |
3. Your choices
You can manage your cookie preferences any time you visit our website by selecting 'manage cookies'.
The website and email cookies can also be controlled by you adjusting your web browser settings. You can read more about cookies and how to manage them at allaboutcookies.org.
Browsers offer different tools to manage cookies and, using the links below, you can find more information on the site(s) relevant to you:
- Apple Safari cookies information
- Google Chrome cookies information
- Microsoft Edge cookies information
- Mozilla Firefox cookies information
- Opera cookies information
These links will take you to other sites. YHA is not responsible for the information and the setting of cookies on these other sites.
Some websites have 'do not track' features that allow you to ask a website not to track you. We’re currently unable to support 'do not track' browser settings.
Your mobile device may allow you to manage cookies through its settings section. For more information, refer to your device manufacturer's instructions.
If you choose to decline cookies, some parts of the YHA website may not work as intended or may not work at all.
4. How to contact us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Notice or wish to exercise your data privacy rights, please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Write: Data Protection Team, YHA (England & Wales), Trevelyan House, Dimple Road, Matlock, DE4 3YH
Please also read our Privacy Notice and website terms & conditions.