This guide helps with
- Understand why sessions time out
- Adjust the browser settings that cause early sign-outs
- Avoid the habits that end a session sooner
- Keep your work safe if you are signed out
- Know who to contact if it keeps happening
4 min read
What's happening
If you keep getting signed out, it is usually one of two things. For security, the portal signs you out automatically after a period of inactivity so your details aren't left open. Alternatively, a browser setting — such as blocking cookies or private browsing mode — can prevent your session from being remembered at all.
Neither is a fault, and both are easy to adjust.
Try this first
- Make sure your browser allows cookies for the portal — sessions rely on them.
- Avoid private or incognito mode, which can forget your session as soon as you navigate away.
- Try not to leave the page idle for long stretches, as inactivity triggers a sign-out.
- Refresh and sign in again to start a clean session.
Step by step
- Open your browser settings and check that cookies are not blocked for the site.
- Switch out of any private browsing window into a normal one.
- Sign in from the Help Centre and complete what you need without long pauses.
- If you must step away, finish or save your task first, as the session may end while you're gone.
If that didn't work
If you are still signed out quickly even with cookies allowed, an out-of-date browser or stored data can be the cause. Our guides on clearing a portal error and updating an unsupported browser cover those fixes.
Who to contact
If sessions keep ending no matter what you try, contact us through the Help Centre. And remember, you don't need to stay signed in to pay — a guest payment with your reference number is always available if the portal is giving you trouble.
Good to know
- Sessions end after inactivity as a security measure.
- Blocked cookies or private browsing can sign you out early.
- Allow cookies and use a normal browser window to stay signed in.
- Guest payment is always available if sessions keep ending.
FAQ
Why do I get signed out so quickly?
For security, the portal signs you out after a period of inactivity. If it happens almost immediately, your browser may be blocking cookies or running in private mode.
What do cookies have to do with staying signed in?
Your session is remembered using a cookie. If cookies are blocked for the site, the portal can't keep you signed in as you move between pages.
Is being signed out a security risk?
No — it's the opposite. Automatic sign-out protects your details if you step away. It's a safety feature, not a fault.
Still stuck? Our team is happy to help you sort it out.