Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The Childcare Hack Ltd ("Company", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and calculator (the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information you provide to generate your report

To generate your personalised report, we collect the figures you enter into the calculator: your income (and your partner's income, if applicable), employment status, existing pension contributions, the number and ages of your children, and your monthly childcare costs.

2.2 Information you provide when booking a call

If you book a call with one of the FCA-regulated advisers on our panel, we collect your name and email address in order to arrange that call.

2.3 Usage data

We collect usage data — such as which pages are opened and how long is spent on them — to help us improve the Service. This is collected through Google Analytics, and only if you accept analytics cookies. Section 4 sets out exactly what this involves.

3. How We Collect Information

You provide information directly by entering it into the calculator on our website, and by giving us your name and email address when booking a call.

4. Cookies and Analytics

Cookies and similar technologies are small pieces of data stored on your device by your browser. We use them in two ways, and only one of the two needs your permission.

4.1 Remembering your choice

When you tell us whether you accept analytics cookies, we store that answer in your browser's local storage. This is strictly necessary: without it we could not remember that you declined, and would have to ask you again on every page. It holds nothing but your answer, and is never sent to us or to anyone else.

4.2 Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how people find and use the Service: which pages are opened, how long is spent on them, and which site or search brought someone here. We use this only to improve the Service. It does not tell us who you are, and we do not combine it with the figures you enter into the calculator.

Google Analytics sets two cookies, named "_ga" and "_ga_8G47P5TSKN", which expire two years after your last visit. These are set only if you accept them. Until you choose, analytics storage is switched off and nothing is written to your device.

If you decline, Google Analytics still receives a record that a page was opened, but that record carries no cookie and no identifier. It cannot be linked to you, and it cannot be joined to any other visit.

4.3 Changing your mind

You can accept or decline using the banner shown on your first visit, and you can change that decision at any time using the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of any page. Withdrawing your consent is as easy as giving it, and takes effect immediately.

4.4 Where this data goes

Google Analytics is provided by Google Ireland Limited, which processes this data on our behalf. Data collected through it may be transferred to and processed on servers outside the UK, including in the United States, under the transfer safeguards Google has in place. Google's own account of how it handles data from sites that use its services is published at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

We do not use advertising, marketing or social media cookies, and we do not permit any third party to use this site to track you across other websites.

5. Use of Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

1. To generate your personalised report based on the income, childcare and family details you provide.
2. To arrange and administer your call with an FCA-regulated adviser, where you choose to book one.
3. To let the FCA-regulated adviser handling your call review the information you supplied when generating your report, so the call can be relevant to your circumstances.
4. To improve the Service based on usage data.

6. Sharing of Your Information

We do not sell your information, and we do not share it with third parties for marketing purposes.

If you book a call, we share your name, email address, and the information you supplied when generating your report with the FCA-regulated adviser handling that call, so they can prepare for and conduct it. Apart from the analytics data described in section 4, which Google processes on our behalf, we do not share your information with anyone else.

7. Data Storage and Protection

Your calculator inputs and report are stored locally in your own browser so that you can return to your personalised report. They are not transmitted to or stored on a Company server as part of the calculator itself, unless you book a call, in which case the information described in section 6 — your name, email address, and the report information shared with your adviser — is stored securely in our CRM system, which is access-controlled through two-factor authentication and a strict user access policy.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data collected through the Service, including data collected when you book a call, for 365 days, after which it is deleted.

9. Accessing and Correcting Your Data

Because your calculator inputs are stored in your own browser, you can update them at any time by returning to the calculator and re-entering your details. If you want to access, correct, or delete any other data we hold about you — including data collected when you booked a call — you can contact us using the details below.

10. User Rights and Protections

While our Service is currently available only in England, we are committed to respecting user privacy and data protection regulations as applicable.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under 18.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy, please contact us at hello@thechildcarehack.co.uk.