Privacy Policy

Who we are (data controller)

TaxEngines ("we", "us") operates the website at taxengines.co.uk and is the data controller for personal data processed through it. For any privacy question, or to exercise your rights, contact us at info@taxengines.co.uk.

Information we collect

We keep data collection to a minimum. Depending on how you use the site, this may include:

• Information you send us directly, such as your name, email address and message when you contact us.
• Technical information automatically recorded in server logs, such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you request.
• Limited analytics information about how the site is used, where analytics is enabled.

Contact forms and email enquiries

If you contact us by email, we process the information you provide in order to read and respond to your message. Please do not send sensitive personal information or full financial details: we do not need them to answer a general enquiry, and we cannot give personal tax advice.

Calculator inputs

The figures you enter into a calculator (such as a salary) are submitted to our server so that it can perform the calculation and return your result. We do not intentionally store these inputs, we do not associate them with your identity, and we do not require you to create an account. They are processed only to generate the result you asked for.

As with any web request, the inputs pass through our hosting infrastructure and may appear transiently in standard server logs (see "Server logs" below). We do not use them to build a profile of your finances.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4, provided by Google, to understand aggregate usage of the site, such as which calculators are used most and how visitors move between pages. Google Analytics is not essential to using TaxEngines, so it only runs after you actively accept it through the on-site cookie banner; if you reject it, or make no choice, it does not run.

We do not use analytics to identify individuals. Google Analytics processes technical information about visits. Google states that individual IP addresses are not logged or stored in Google Analytics. Google acts as our data processor for this purpose and may process the resulting data outside the UK, under Google's own safeguards and terms.

Microsoft Clarity

We use Microsoft Clarity to help us understand how visitors interact with TaxEngines, including through heatmaps and session recordings, so we can identify usability issues and improve the website.

Your analytics consent choice is communicated to Microsoft Clarity through its consent mechanism. If you accept analytics cookies, Clarity may use analytics cookies to recognise activity across page views and visits. If you reject analytics cookies, or have not yet made a choice, Clarity operates without persistent analytics cookies.

Clarity automatically masks the content entered into input fields, including figures entered into our calculators, so those input values are not captured in session recordings. Microsoft processes data collected through Clarity in connection with providing this analytics service.

Cookies

We aim to run the site with as few cookies as possible. Strictly necessary cookies, which are required for the site to function, may be set without consent. Any non-essential storage, such as Google Analytics, is only set after you accept it through the on-site cookie banner.

Your accept/reject choice itself is remembered using your browser's local storage, not a tracking cookie, so we know not to show the banner again on your next visit. You can change your choice at any time using "Cookie settings" (shown on every page once a choice has been made), or by clearing your browser's site data to see the banner again.

Server logs

Like most websites, our hosting provider automatically records technical information in server logs, including IP addresses and requested pages. These logs help keep the site secure and available and to diagnose problems. They are retained for a limited period and then deleted or overwritten.

Third-party services

We rely on a small number of third parties to run the site, such as our hosting provider and, where applicable, Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity. These providers process data on our behalf under appropriate terms. We do not sell your personal data, and we do not allow advertisers to pay to influence our content.

Legal basis for processing

Under UK GDPR we rely on the following legal bases:

• Legitimate interests: to operate, secure and improve the site, and to respond to enquiries, in a way you would reasonably expect.
• Consent: for any non-essential cookies or analytics that require it. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Legal obligation: where we must process data to comply with the law.

Data retention

We keep personal data only for as long as needed for the purpose it was collected. Enquiry correspondence is kept for as long as necessary to handle your query and for a reasonable period afterwards; server logs are kept for a short period for security and diagnostics. Analytics information is retained according to the retention settings configured in our Google Analytics property. We delete or anonymise data when it is no longer needed.

How we protect your data

The site is served over an encrypted HTTPS connection. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss or misuse, and we limit the data we collect in the first place, which is itself a protection.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have rights over your personal data, including:

• The right to be informed about how your data is used.
• The right of access to the personal data we hold about you.
• The right to rectification of inaccurate data.
• The right to erasure in certain circumstances.
• The right to restrict or object to processing.
• The right to data portability where it applies.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@taxengines.co.uk. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.

Complaints and the ICO

If you have a concern about how we handle your data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

Contact details

For any privacy matter, email info@taxengines.co.uk. For general enquiries, please use our contact page.

Updates to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes to the site or the law. The "last updated" date below shows when it was most recently revised. Significant changes will be made clear on this page.