Terms and Conditions for DSD Internet

dsdni.gov.uk is a government website owned, operated and managed by the Department for Social Development, hereafter referred to as 'the Department'.  Access to, and use of this site is provided for your personal use only.  Use of this site constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions, which take effect immediately on your first use of the site.  The Department reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting changes online.  You are responsible for reviewing regularly information posted online to obtain timely notice of such changes.  Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified by the posted changes.

You may use and re-use the information featured on this website (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence .

We encourage users to establish hypertext links to this website.

Any enquiries regarding the use and re-use of this information resource should be sent to: e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

The names, images and logos identifying the Department for Social Development, and its Agencies, third parties and their information, products and services are proprietary marks of the Crown and/or third parties.  

Copying or use of our logos and/or any other third party logos accessed via this website is not permitted without prior approval from the relevant copyright owner in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Requests for permission to use our logo(s) should be directed to the Press Office .  You should tell use how and why you wish to use our logo(s).  Please include your contact details: name; address; telephone number; fax number and email.

When you enter this site your computer will be automatically issued with a cookie, in order to collect non-personal user information required for system administration and correct functioning of the website.

Cookies are pieces of data created when you visit a site, and many simply contain a unique, anonymous number which helps a web server to identify your browser and maintain a session with it.

Persistent cookies

Some website cookies can be stored in a text file in the cookie directory of your hard drive, and these do not expire at the end of your session with the website - these are so-called "persistent" cookies. dsdni.gov.uk uses a persistent cookie to store a random number on your computer to help us track your visit and help us understand how you use the site so that we can provide you with a better service. dsdni.gov.uks' persistent cookies do not contain any personal information about you and cannot be used to identify you as a person.

Non-persistent or session cookies

dsdni.gov.uk also uses non-persistent or session cookies - these are generally not stored on your hard drive and are destroyed when your session ends. dsdni.gov.uk session cookies do not contain any personal information about you and cannot be used to identify you as a person.

How to enable cookies

You can set your browser not to accept cookies. However, some features of the dsdni.gov.uk website can only be used if your browser can accept session cookies.

To enable cookies follow the instructions below for the browser you are using. If your browser is not listed you should visit the website of your browser manufacturer.

Linking to us at dsdni.gov.uk

We do not object to you linking directly to the information that is hosted on our site and, therefore, you do not need to ask our permission to do so.  However, we do not permit our pages to be loaded into frames on your site.  The dsdni.gov.uk pages must load into the user's entire window.

Linking from dsdni.gov.uk

The links provided on this site are for your information and should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind.  The Department accepts no responsibility in respect of your access to such websites or any material found on them.  The Department cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over the availability of linked pages.

We make every effort to check and test material at all stages of production.  It is always wise for you to run an anti-virus programme on all material downloaded from the Internet.  We cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, disruption or damage to your data or your computer system which may occur whilst using material derived from this website.

The Department’s website, and material relating to Government information, products and services (or third party information, products and services), are provided 'as is' without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, compatibility, security and accuracy.

We do not warrant that the functions contained in the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that make it available are free of viruses or represent the full functionality, accuracy, reliability of the materials.  In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damages whatsoever arising from use or loss of use of, data, or profits, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Department for Social Development’s website.

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Northern Ireland.  Any dispute arising under these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Northern Ireland.