Generally, we only collect personal information when you apply for products or carry out transactions with us (for example on our website). We generally let you know at the time of collection how we will use that personal information. For details of how we process your personal information, please refer to your product terms and conditions. Please also refer to the section below headed "Information relating to customers and persons applying for products".

Information relating to customers and persons applying for products

If you are an existing customer or apply for a product, details of how we process your personal information will be contained in the relevant application form and product terms and conditions. However, please note the following:

Your information comprises all the details we hold about you and your transactions, and includes information obtained from third parties.

Who we share your information with

We may use and share your information with other members of the Group to help us and them:

• assess financial and insurance risks;

• recover debt;

• prevent and detect crime;

• understand our customers’ requirements; or

• develop and test products and services.

We do not disclose your information to anyone outside the Group except:

• where we have your permission; or

• where we are required or permitted to do so by law; or

• to credit reference and fraud prevention agencies and other companies that provide a service to us or you; or

• where we may transfer rights and obligations under our agreement(s) with you; or

• to government entities or regulatory bodies in order that those entities may discharge their responsibilities and obligations or exercise their powers or functions.

We may transfer your information to other countries on the basis that anyone to whom we pass it provides an adequate level of protection. However, such information may be accessed by law enforcement agencies and other authorities to prevent and detect crime and comply with legal obligations.

Using our website

You can visit our website without telling us who you are or revealing any information about yourself. We measure and analyse non-identifying, aggregate usage data in order to administer the site, and to constantly improve the quality of our service and site performance.

We may use the personal information you provide, or which we collect via this website, for the purpose of providing more relevant content to you.

We also work with third parties to evaluate the effectiveness of our advertising and promotions on other websites.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer and are commonly used on the internet.

We use them to:

• collect anonymous information that will help us understand visitors' browsing habits on our website;

• compile statistical reports on website activity, e.g. number of visitors and the pages they visit;

• temporarily store any information which you may enter in tools, such as calculators or demonstrations on our website

• remember information about you when you visit our site. We may need to do this to provide some of our services.

We use three types of cookie:

Session cookies - these are temporary and are deleted as soon as you close your browser.

Persistent cookies - These are stored on your computer until they expire or you remove them. For example, a persistent cookie may be used to remember that we have previously asked a visitor to complete an online survey. This would prevent you from being asked to complete the same survey every time you visit the site.

Flash cookies - If you have Macromedia Flash installed, we may use Flash Objects to recognize your computer for security purposes.

We do not use cookies to track your use of the internet after you leave our site, nor do we store any personal information in them that others could read and understand.

Managing cookies

You can usually configure your internet browser to warn you each time a new cookie is about to be stored on your computer so that you may make a decision whether to accept or reject it.

For example, if you reject the 'ulsterbank.com' cookie we will not store any data allowing us to tailor our content to reflect your unique circumstances.

Please refer to your internet browser's help section for specific instructions.

Further information about cookies

The Interactive Advertising Bureau is an industry body that has produced a series of web pages which explain how cookies work and how they can be managed.