Professional & Financial Services UK-wide

Which professional, scientific and technical rules apply to you

If you operate or plan to operate a professional, scientific or technical business in the UK — specialised design, photography, translation, interpretation or other professional services — you must comply with workplace health and safety, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection duties that bind every employer. Patent and trade mark attorneys face additional registration requirements. This guide introduces the rules and routes you to the detail.

Guide summary

Set up a safe workplace, get insurance, and follow data protection and equality rules. If you work as a patent attorney or registered trade mark attorney, you must also register with the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg). For drone photography, register with the Civil Aviation Authority.

  • Follow health and safety, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection laws
  • Register with IPReg if you are a patent attorney or registered trade mark attorney
  • Register for a drone operator ID and flyer ID before flying for work
  • Use the ‘Set up and run a safe professional, scientific and technical business’ guide
  • Complete the compliance checklist to confirm all duties are met
  • Health and Safety Executive enforces workplace safety in Great Britain
  • Fire and rescue authorities enforce fire safety in offices and studios
  • Information Commissioner's Office enforces data protection UK-wide
  • Penalties for health and safety breaches can be unlimited fines or up to 2 years in prison
On this page

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Structural works compliance checklist

Pre-start checklist for structural works covering demolition notices, asbestos surveys, temporary works design, excavation permits, LOLER examinations, and …

Excavation and foundation safety

HSE requirements for safe excavation and foundation work on construction sites. Covers trench support systems, edge protection, safe …

Division 74 covers specialised design activities (fashion, industrial and graphic design — SIC 74.10), photographic activities (74.20), translation and interpretation services (74.30) and other professional, scientific and technical activities not classified elsewhere (74.90), which includes patent attorneys and registered trade mark attorneys. These are predominantly office-based and studio-based businesses, but photographers and interpreters may regularly work on location or at client premises.

On top of the universal workplace duties that bind every employer, businesses providing patent attorney or trade mark attorney services must register with the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg). This registration requirement does not apply to other division 74 businesses.

The Health and Safety Executive enforces workplace health and safety in Great Britain, and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) in Northern Ireland. Local fire and rescue authorities enforce fire safety in offices, studios and other non-domestic premises under the regime for each nation. The Information Commissioner's Office enforces data protection UK-wide. The titles "patent attorney" and "registered trade mark attorney" are protected UK-wide, and IPReg regulates those who use them; the Legal Services Act 2007 reserved-activities framework under which IPReg operates applies principally in England and Wales.

What you need to do

  1. 1

    Set up a safe business and employ people

    Start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe professional, scientific and technical business" for your health and safety, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection duties.

  2. 2

    Meet your regulatory duties

    If you practise as a patent attorney or registered trade mark attorney, follow "Meet your professional, scientific and technical regulatory duties" to register with IPReg and comply with its Code of Conduct.

  3. 3

    Confirm you have covered everything

    Finish with the "Professional, scientific and technical compliance checklist" to confirm your obligations are met.

If you fly drones for your work

Aerial and drone photography (within SIC 74.20) is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. Before flying for work you must register for an operator ID and a flyer ID, label your drone, and — depending on the weight of the aircraft and where you fly — hold an operational authorisation. See the CAA's drone and unmanned aircraft guidance.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for professional, scientific and technical regulation.