Cookie guide

What is a cookie?

Cookies are a bit of data (a very small text file) a website may store on your computer through your web-browser that allows the web-site to keep track of your settings and other information. They are not a security risk, and only allow your browser to send the data back to the server that originally set it.

Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browser's settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Examples of Cookie use include website specific user preferences, login or registration information, online "shopping carts", user surveys, and many more. When a Server receives a request from the Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie for a variety of things such as to customize what is sent back to the user or to track a particular user's requests. Cookies are typically set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are typically saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk.

Learn how to enable and disable cookies in your browser.

For a better user experience, the Care UK web site requires that you have cookies enabled in your browser settings. This is so that your initial user-type selection is saved to your computer and is recalled the next time you visit our site. In turn, you are presented with user-specific content straightaway.

If your browser has cookies disabled, you may receive this, or a similar, error:

"Your request could not be served because you have browser cookies disabled. Please enable cookies in your browser's settings, close your current web session and try again."

Below, you can find our guide on how to enable cookies in your browser.

For further instructions on how to change your cookies settings, please use your browser's HELP documentation on how to make the appropriate changes.

Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Browser

1. Select Tools
2. Select the Privacy button
3. Expand the Cookies option
4. Click "Allow sites to set cookies"
5. Click OK

Windows IE 6.x Browser

1. Go to Tools on the menu bar
2. Pick Internet Options
3. Select the Privacy tab.
4. Select Advanced
5. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
6. Click on the OK button at the bottom of the screen.
7. Click OK to exit

Windows IE 5.x Browser

1. Go to Tools on the menu bar
2. Pick Internet Options
3. Click the Security tab
4. Select the Custom Level tab
5. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
6. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
7. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings

Windows IE 4.x Browser

1. Go to View on the menu bar
2. Pick Internet Options
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. Go down to the Cookies section
5. Click "Always Accept Cookies"
6. Click OK

Windows IE 3.x Browser

1. Go to View on the menu bar
2. Pick Options
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. Go down to the Cookies section
5. Click "Warn Before Accept Cookies"
6. Click OK

Netscape 7.x

1. Click Edit on the Toolbar.
2. Click Preferences
3. Click the Privacy and Security category; expand the list to show the subcategories.
4. Click Cookies
5. Three options are displayed. Click the appropriate choice:
   • Disable cookies
   • Enable cookies for the originating web site only
   • Enable all cookies
   • If you want to be notified when a web site tries to set a cookie, select "Warn me before accepting a cookie."

Netscape 6.x

1. Click Edit on the Toolbar.
2. Click Preferences
3. Click the Privacy and Security category; expand the list to show the subcategories.
4. Click Cookies
5. Three options are displayed. Click the appropriate choice:
   • Disable cookies
   • Enable cookies for the originating web site only
   • Enable all cookies
   • If you want to be notified when a web site tries to set a cookie, select "Warn me before accepting a cookie."

Netscape 4.x

1. Go to Edit on the menu bar
2. Pick Preferences
3. Go to the Advanced option on the Category menu
4. Click the check box next to "Accept All Cookies"
5. Click OK

Netscape 3.x Clients

1. Go to Options on the menu bar
2. Pick Network Preferences
3. Click the Languages tab
4. Click the checkbox next to "Enable Java"
5. Click OK

Mac IE 5.x

1. Click Edit
2. Select Preferences
3. Under the Receiving Files option, select Cookies
4. Under "When receiving cookies:" select the desired level of cookie acceptance
5. Under "When receiving cookies:" select the desired level of cookie acceptance
6. Click OK to finish

Mac IE 4.x

1. Go to My AOL on the menu bar
2. Pick WWW
3. Go to the Advanced Settings option on the Category menu
4. Click "Cookies"
5. When receiving cookies: Click "Never Ask"
6. Click OK

AOL 8.0

1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
2. Select Preferences
3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
4. Select the Privacy tab
5. Select Advanced
6. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
7. Click OK to exit.

AOL 7.0 with IE 6.x

1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
2. Select Preferences
3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
4. Select the Privacy tab
5. Select Advanced
6. Deselect override automatic cookie handling button
7. Click OK to exit.

AOL 7.0 with IE 5.5

1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings.
2. Select Preferences
3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
4. Select the Security tab
5. Select the Custom Level tab
6. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
7. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
8. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings

  AOL 6.0

1. From the AOL Toolbar, select Settings
2. Select Preferences
3. Select Internet Properties (WWW)
4. Select the Security tab
5. Select the Custom Level tab
6. Under "Allow Cookies that are stored on your computer" click "Enable"
7. Under "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)" click "Enable"
8. Select OK, Yes you want to save the settings

AOL 5.0

1. Go to My AOL
2. Pick WWW
3. Click the Security tab
4. Go to Custom Level
5. Scroll down to find Cookie
6. Click "Enable"
7. Click OK

AOL 4.0

1. Click on Preferences
2. Select on the WWW button
3. Click on the Advanced tab
4. Select the "Accept all cookies" checkbox

AOL for Windows 3.1

Browser does not give you the ability to turn off cookies