Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

OnlineVATCalculatorUK.co.uk is a free online VAT calculation tool and educational resource for people in the United Kingdom. This site is operated as an independent web service — we are not a firm of accountants, a financial services provider, or an HMRC-affiliated service.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, the operator of this website is the data controller for any information processed in connection with your use of this site.

2. What Data We Collect

We collect only the minimum technical data that any website server automatically receives when a browser connects to it. This includes:

• IP address — logged automatically by our web server and hosting infrastructure. This is standard for all websites and is used solely for security monitoring, abuse prevention, and server diagnostics. IP addresses are not linked to any individual identity and are not stored in any user-facing database.
• Browser and device type — the type of browser you are using, your operating system, and screen resolution. This information is contained in the HTTP request header sent by your browser. We use aggregated, anonymised summaries of this data to ensure the calculator works correctly across different devices.
• Pages visited and time on site — basic analytics data showing which pages were viewed and for how long. This is collected in anonymised, aggregated form and cannot be used to identify you as an individual.
• Referring URL — if you arrived at this site via a link on another website, our server may log the referring URL. This helps us understand where our traffic comes from but does not identify you personally.

All of the above is standard, technically unavoidable web server logging. None of it is used for commercial purposes, advertising, or profiling.

3. What We Do Not Collect

We want to be absolutely clear about what this site does not collect:

• We do not collect your name, email address, or any other contact information.
• We do not collect the amounts you type into the VAT calculator. All calculations happen entirely within your browser. The figures you enter never leave your device and are never transmitted to our servers.
• We do not require you to create an account, log in, or provide any personal details to use this site.
• We do not collect payment information of any kind. This site is completely free and does not process payments.
• We do not build profiles of individual users or track individual behaviour across sessions.
• We do not sell, rent, or share any data with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.

4. Cookies and Local Storage

Cookies

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website. OnlineVATCalculatorUK.co.uk does not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies, or any third-party cookies. We do not use cookies to identify you across sessions or across websites.

We may use a single, strictly necessary session cookie to maintain basic site functionality during your visit. This cookie contains no personal information, expires when you close your browser, and is not used for any tracking or analytics purpose.

Local storage

The calculator uses your browser's local storage to temporarily retain your most recent calculations within a single browser session. This data never leaves your device. You can clear it at any time by clicking "Clear" in the calculator or by clearing your browser's local storage through your browser settings.

Analytics

If we use a web analytics tool, we use it in a privacy-preserving, cookie-free mode that does not track individual users and does not set any cookies on your device. Aggregate, anonymised traffic statistics (such as total page views and approximate geographic region) may be collected to help us understand how the site is used and improve its content. This data cannot be used to identify you.

5. Third-Party Services

This site links to external resources including HMRC's official website (gov.uk). When you click a link to an external site, you leave OnlineVATCalculatorUK.co.uk and are subject to the privacy policy of that external site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites.

We do not embed third-party advertising networks, social media tracking pixels, or any external scripts that collect data about you without your knowledge. Our calculator runs entirely on our own code — no third-party JavaScript libraries that track users are loaded by this site.

6. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), you have the following rights in relation to any personal data we hold about you:

• Right of access — you have the right to request a copy of any personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification — you have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate personal data.
• Right to erasure — you have the right to ask us to delete personal data we hold about you, where we have no legal basis to retain it.
• Right to restrict processing — you have the right to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to object — you have the right to object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests as our legal basis.
• Right to data portability — where processing is based on consent or a contract, you have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.

Because we collect no personal data beyond standard server logs, exercising most of these rights is unlikely to apply to typical use of this site. However, if you have any concern about data we may hold in relation to your use of this site, please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.

If you believe we have handled your personal data unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator. The ICO can be contacted at ico.org.uk or by phone on 0303 123 1113.

7. Data Retention

Standard web server logs, which may include IP addresses, are retained for a maximum of 90 days for security and diagnostic purposes, after which they are permanently deleted. We do not retain any other data about individual users.

Calculator inputs — the amounts and rates you type into the calculator — are never stored on our servers. They exist only in your browser's memory for the duration of your session and are cleared when you close the tab or click "Clear".

8. Children's Privacy

This site does not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13. The VAT calculator is a professional and educational tool intended for use by adults and businesses. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, wish to exercise any of your data rights, or have a concern about how your information has been handled, please reach out to us. We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 days.