Topic
Compliance & Legal
Regulatory compliance, legal requirements, and governance
Health & Safety
AI compliance checklist
Quick verification checklist covering all major AI compliance obligations. Use this checklist to confirm your business meets its data protection, equality, transparency, oversight, and record-keeping obligations when using AI systems.
Read guideAppoint a competent person for health and safety
Your legal duty to appoint a competent person to help with health and safety under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Explains what competence means, when you can do it yourself, and when you need external help.
Read guideCarry out a data protection impact assessment (DPIA)
How to carry out a data protection impact assessment under UK GDPR Article 35. Covers when a DPIA is legally required, the step-by-step process for completing one, what to do if you cannot mitigate high risks, and when to consult the ICO.
Read guideCarry out a noise risk assessment
Step-by-step guide to carrying out a noise risk assessment under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Covers when an assessment is needed, identifying noise sources, estimating exposure, comparing against action values, and recording your findings.
Read guideChecklist for employing young persons safely
Compliance checklist for employers of workers under 18. Covers the specific risk assessment factors under MHSWR 1999 Regulation 19, prohibited work, parent notification, working hours, and night work restrictions.
Read guideChecklist for protecting new and expectant mothers
Compliance checklist for employers when an employee is pregnant, has recently given birth, or is breastfeeding. Covers the notification process, individual risk assessment, action hierarchy, night work, and rest facilities under MHSWR 1999 Regulations 16-18.
Read guideChoose a competent fire risk assessor
How to select a qualified professional to conduct your fire risk assessment, or decide if you can do it yourself. Includes what to look for, questions to ask, and warning signs to avoid.
Read guideClassify and label chemicals for the GB market
How to classify, label and package hazardous chemicals for sale in Great Britain under the GB CLP Regulation. Covers classification criteria, labelling requirements, Safety Data Sheets, and poison centre notification for chemical suppliers.
Read guideComply with COSHH regulations for hazardous substances
How to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Step-by-step guide to COSHH assessment, the hierarchy of controls, Workplace Exposure Limits, health surveillance requirements and record keeping.
Read guideComply with display screen equipment regulations
How to meet your legal duties under the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992. Covers workstation assessments, eye tests, breaks, and home working requirements for employers.
Read guideComply with electrical safety regulations
How to meet your legal duties under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Covers safe systems, competent persons, inspection requirements, and portable appliance testing for all workplaces.
Read guideComply with fire safety law as the responsible person
Your legal duties as a responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Covers fire risk assessments, fire safety measures, staff training, and what happens if you do not comply.
Read guideComply with manual handling regulations
How to meet your legal duties under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Covers risk assessment, the TILE framework, and reducing injury risks for employers in all sectors.
Read guideComply with PPE regulations
How to meet your legal duties under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022. Covers employer duties, the 2022 amendments for limb (b) workers, suitability assessment, and the PPE hierarchy.
Read guideComply with work equipment safety regulations (PUWER)
How to meet your legal duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Covers suitability, maintenance, inspection, guarding of dangerous parts, controls and emergency stops, training and information requirements. PUWER applies to all work equipment from hand tools to complex machinery.
Read guideConducting risk assessments
How to identify hazards, evaluate risks, and implement controls using the 5-step risk assessment process.
Read guideCOSHH - hazardous substances
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health - assessing and controlling workplace chemical and biological hazards.
Read guideCreate fire safety communications for residents
How to meet your legal duty to provide fire safety information to residents under Regulation 9 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. Includes what information you must provide, how to explain evacuation strategies, fire door messaging, accessibility considerations, and sample communication approaches.
Read guideDoing business in Northern Ireland: key differences from Great Britain
Comprehensive reference of the key regulatory divergences between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Covers employment law, equality legislation, planning, business rates, health and safety, product standards, alcohol licensing, fire safety, and the Windsor Framework dual regulatory regime.
Read guideEstablish emergency procedures for your workplace
Your legal duties under MHSWR 1999 Regulations 8-9 to establish procedures for serious and imminent danger. Covers emergency types beyond fire, nominating competent persons for evacuation, worker protection rights, and external service contacts.
Read guideExternal wall fire safety assessment - what you need to know
Your legal duties for assessing external wall fire safety in multi-occupied residential buildings. Covers Fire Safety Act 2021 requirements, when EWS1 surveys are needed, understanding EWS1 ratings, finding qualified fire engineers, and what to do if remediation is required.
Read guideFire door inspections and building safety duties
Your legal duties for fire door inspections and building safety under the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. Covers which buildings are affected, inspection frequencies, external wall assessments, and resident information requirements.
Read guideFire safety duties for landlords of residential properties
Your legal duties as a landlord to protect tenants from fire. Covers smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, HMO fire safety requirements, fire risk assessments for blocks of flats, and furniture fire safety regulations.
Read guideFire safety duties for Northern Ireland businesses
Your fire safety obligations as an appropriate person under the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. Covers the fire risk assessment requirement, fire safety measures, NIFRS enforcement powers, and penalties. Northern Ireland has separate fire safety legislation from England, Wales, and Scotland.
Read guideFire safety duties for Scottish businesses
Your fire safety obligations as a duty holder under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. Covers the shared responsibility model, fire risk assessments, SFRS enforcement powers, and penalties. Scotland has different fire safety law from England and Wales.
Read guideFire safety guide for residential building managers
A practical guide for day-to-day building managers on fire safety duties in residential buildings. Covers your role as a building manager, routine checks, fire door inspections, working with managing agents and residents, emergency procedures, and record keeping.
Read guideFire safety requirements for high-rise residential buildings
Your legal duties under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 if you manage a high-rise residential building (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys) in England. Covers secure information boxes, floor plans, wayfinding signage, fire door inspections, and resident information requirements.
Read guideHealth and safety basics
Essential health and safety requirements for all employers.
Read guideHealth and safety duties for temporary and agency workers
Your legal duties under MHSWR 1999 Regulation 15 when using temporary or agency workers. Covers the split of responsibilities between user employer and agency, information exchange requirements, and PPE duties.
Read guideHealth and safety for small businesses
A simplified guide to health and safety compliance for businesses with fewer than 5 employees. Covers what you must do, what you can skip, and free HSE tools to help you comply without spending a fortune.
Read guideHealth and safety in shared workplaces
Your legal duties under MHSWR 1999 Regulations 11-12 when sharing a workplace with other employers. Covers cooperation, coordination, information sharing, and host employer duties to visiting workers.
Read guideHealth and safety requirements by business size
How H&S obligations scale as your business grows. Covers risk assessment, written policy, first aid, RIDDOR reporting, training, consultation, enforcement, and display requirements, with thresholds at 5, 50 and 250 employees.
Read guideHealth and safety training requirements under MHSWR
Your legal duty under MHSWR 1999 Regulation 13 to provide adequate health and safety training. Covers the five training triggers, capabilities assessment, refresher training requirements, and the duty to provide training during working hours.
Read guideHealth surveillance at work
When health surveillance is legally required at work and how to set it up. Covers COSHH hazardous substances, noise, hand-arm vibration, lead, asbestos, ionising radiation, and compressed air. Explains employer duties, appointing occupational health providers, record retention (40 years), and acting on results.
Read guideHow to conduct a fire risk assessment
A step-by-step guide to conducting a fire risk assessment for your business premises. Covers who is responsible, the legal requirements, the 5-step process, recording obligations, review frequency, and when to use a professional assessor.
Read guideHSE enforcement: improvement notices, prohibition notices and prosecution
What happens when HSE finds health and safety breaches. Covers inspector powers, improvement notices, prohibition notices, appeals, penalties and Fee for Intervention.
Read guideIdentify the responsible person for fire safety in your building
How to determine who is legally responsible for fire safety under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Covers building owners, Resident Management Companies, managing agents, and multiple responsible person scenarios.
Read guideKeep lone workers safe
How to protect employees who work alone or without close supervision. Covers risk assessment, control measures, communication systems, and what activities may be too dangerous for lone working. Includes sector-specific guidance for healthcare, social care, security, and delivery workers.
Read guideMaintain fire safety equipment
How to maintain fire extinguishers, fire alarms, emergency lighting, and fire doors to comply with the law. Includes testing schedules, servicing requirements, and record-keeping duties for responsible persons.
Read guideManage asbestos in non-domestic buildings
Legal duties for managing asbestos in commercial premises, including survey requirements, licensing thresholds, and the duty to manage under CAR 2012.
Read guideManage legionella risk in water systems
How to identify and control legionella risk in workplace water systems. Covers your duties under ACOP L8, appointing a competent person, written control schemes, temperature monitoring, and cooling tower registration.
Read guideManage workplace risk assessments under MHSW 1999
Your legal duties for risk assessment under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Covers employer duties, the principles of prevention, competent person requirements, health surveillance, and when you must record findings in writing.
Read guideManage work-related stress
How to assess and manage work-related stress using the HSE Management Standards approach. Covers the 6 standards, stress risk assessment, recognising signs of stress, employer interventions, and supporting employees returning after stress-related absence.
Read guideMeet fire safety requirements for your business premises
How to comply with fire safety law for your business premises. Covers who is the responsible person, conducting fire risk assessments, implementing fire safety measures, and avoiding enforcement action.
Read guideMeet your workplace health and safety legal obligations
Understanding your fundamental health and safety duties under UK law. Covers key legislation including HASAWA 1974, risk assessment requirements, and practical compliance steps for small business employers.
Read guideMHSWR 1999 compliance checklist
Audit-ready compliance checklist covering all key duties under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Use this to verify your compliance across risk assessment, competent persons, emergency procedures, information, training, and vulnerable worker protections.
Read guideNorthern Ireland business compliance checklist
A quick compliance checklist for businesses operating in Northern Ireland. Covers NI-specific obligations including fair employment monitoring, HSENI registration, fire safety, business rates, and other requirements that differ from Great Britain.
Read guidePPE compliance checklist
A yes/no checklist to verify your business meets all requirements under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended 2022). Covers risk assessment, selection, provision, fit testing, training, maintenance, and record keeping.
Read guidePrinciples of prevention and hierarchy of controls
The legal basis for the hierarchy of controls in UK health and safety law. Explains the 9 general principles of prevention from Schedule 1 of MHSWR 1999 and the practical ERICPD framework for controlling workplace risks.
Read guideProtect new and expectant mothers at work
Your legal duties under Regulations 16-18 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to assess risks and protect new and expectant mothers. Covers the notification trigger, risk assessment requirements, the action hierarchy for controlling risks, and night work provisions.
Read guideProvide a safe and healthy workplace environment
How to meet your legal duties under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Covers temperature, ventilation, lighting, toilets, rest areas, and space requirements for employers.
Read guideProvide building information to your Fire and Rescue Service
How to meet your legal duty to provide building information to your Fire and Rescue Service if you are responsible for a high-rise residential building (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys) in England. Covers secure information boxes, floor plans, external wall information, and keeping records up to date.
Read guideProvide first aid at work
How to meet your legal duties under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. Covers needs assessment, first aider training, equipment requirements, and scaling provision for your workplace.
Read guideProvide health and safety information to employees
Your legal duty under MHSWR 1999 Regulation 10 to provide comprehensible and relevant health and safety information to employees, including risk assessment findings, emergency procedures, and the H&S Law poster requirement.
Read guideRecognise and report occupational diseases
How to recognise the signs of occupational diseases, understand your duty to report them under RIDDOR, and maintain occupational health records. Covers the most common work-related conditions and what triggers a report.
Read guideRegister chemicals under UK REACH
How to register chemical substances under UK REACH if you manufacture or import chemicals into Great Britain. Covers registration requirements, tonnage bands, deadlines, fees, and your obligations as a registrant.
Read guideReport a workplace injury, disease or dangerous occurrence under RIDDOR
How to comply with RIDDOR 2013 reporting requirements. Covers what incidents you must report to HSE, reporting deadlines (7-day and 10-day windows), who must report, and record-keeping obligations.
Read guideRespond to fire safety enforcement action
What to do if you receive an enforcement notice, prohibition notice, or alterations notice from the fire and rescue service. Includes your right to appeal and how to avoid penalties.
Read guideWhich regulator covers your AI system
Decision-tree reference guide mapping AI use cases to the UK regulators responsible for oversight. Covers the ICO, FCA, Ofcom, CMA, MHRA, HSE, and EHRC, with scenario-based guidance on which regulators apply to your AI system and the penalties each can impose.
Read guideWork equipment inspection intervals and requirements
Quick-reference table of statutory inspection and examination intervals for work equipment. Covers PUWER inspections, LOLER thorough examinations, competent person requirements, and record retention.
Read guideWorkplace health and safety in Northern Ireland: HSENI obligations
How workplace health and safety is regulated in Northern Ireland, where HSENI (not HSE) enforces the law under separate legislation. Covers the key differences between NI and GB health and safety frameworks, HSENI enforcement powers and priorities, the role of district councils, and what NI-specific regulations mean for your business.
Read guideYour duties as an employer under health and safety law
Understanding your fundamental legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Covers employer duties to employees and others, written policy requirements, and what 'reasonably practicable' means in practice.
Read guideData Protection
AI transparency and explainability obligations
What transparency and explainability mean for AI systems and how to meet the obligations. Covers UK GDPR requirements for automated decision-making, ICO expectations, and practical approaches to making AI decisions understandable to the people they affect.
Read guideAssess your AI compliance obligations
Step-by-step guide to assessing what AI compliance obligations apply to your business. Covers inventorying AI systems, identifying personal data processing, mapping to regulators, conducting DPIAs, checking equality impacts, and documenting governance arrangements.
Read guideCookie consent: comply with PECR requirements
How to comply with cookie consent rules under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). Covers consent banners, strictly necessary exemptions, analytics cookies, and changes under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Read guideCreate a data retention policy
How to write and implement a data retention policy that satisfies the UK GDPR storage limitation principle. Covers what to include, how to build a retention schedule, secure disposal procedures, and how to demonstrate accountability to the ICO.
Read guideData protection annual compliance checklist
Annual checklist for verifying your data protection compliance. Covers ICO fee renewal, privacy notices, records of processing, breach procedures, staff training, DPIAs, retention schedules, and international transfers.
Read guideData protection for businesses
How to comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Covers ICO registration, lawful bases for processing, data subject rights, breach notification requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.
Read guideData Use and Access Act 2025: what changed for businesses
What the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 means for UK businesses. Explains the eight key reforms now in force, including recognised legitimate interests, the Senior Responsible Individual, automated decision-making changes, cookie consent exemptions, and the 35-fold increase in PECR penalties.
Read guideHandle subject access requests (SARs)
How to recognise, process, and respond to subject access requests under UK GDPR. Covers the one-month response deadline, identity verification, searching for data, reviewing exemptions, handling employee SARs, fee rules, and the penalty regime for non-compliance.
Read guideInternational data transfers: UK GDPR requirements
How to legally transfer personal data outside the UK under UK GDPR. Covers adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), exemptions, and Transfer Risk Assessments.
Read guideRegister with the ICO and pay the data protection fee
How to register with the Information Commissioner's Office and pay the annual data protection fee. Covers who must register, the three-tier fee structure, the online registration process, and annual renewal obligations.
Read guideReport a cyber incident
Emergency response guide for reporting cyber attacks and data breaches. Covers who to contact (Report Fraud, ICO, NCSC, Police Scotland), what information to provide, legal deadlines, and what happens after you report.
Read guideResponding to data breaches: legal requirements
What to do when you discover a personal data breach. Covers the 72-hour ICO notification rule, when you must notify affected individuals, and how to document and manage a breach to meet your legal obligations.
Read guideRespond to a ransomware attack
Emergency response guide for ransomware attacks. Covers immediate containment, recovery options, reporting requirements, and ransom payment decisions. For businesses currently under attack or preparing for potential incidents.
Read guideRespond to data subject access requests (DSARs)
How to handle data subject access requests under UK GDPR. Covers the one-month response deadline, identity verification, exemptions that allow redaction, extensions for complex requests, fee rules, and the new 'stop the clock' provision from the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Read guideSet up an AI governance framework
How to establish accountability structures, risk processes, and oversight for AI systems in your business. Covers accountability and roles, transparency, fairness and bias testing, record-keeping, and applying the UK's five AI regulatory principles.
Read guideUK AI regulation: how it works
Comprehensive overview of UK AI regulation. The UK has no single AI law. Instead, existing sector regulators apply five cross-cutting principles to AI systems within their remit. This guide explains how the framework works, which regulators are involved, and what is coming next.
Read guideUsing AI in recruitment and HR
Compliance requirements when using AI for recruitment, screening, and HR decisions. Covers equality law risks, data protection obligations, bias testing, automated decision-making safeguards, and practical steps for lawful deployment.
Read guideWrite a GDPR-compliant privacy notice
How to write and maintain a privacy notice that meets UK GDPR requirements. Covers mandatory content under Articles 13 and 14, a step-by-step writing process, layered notices for complex processing, and common mistakes that lead to enforcement action.
Read guideWrite a privacy notice that meets UK GDPR requirements
How to write a privacy notice that complies with UK GDPR. Covers required content, plain language requirements, when to provide it, and how to use layered notices for complex processing.
Read guideCompany Compliance
AI and copyright: what businesses need to know
The current UK legal position on AI and copyright, including training data risks, AI-generated content ownership, and pending government reforms.
Read guideAI bias and equality law
How the Equality Act 2010 applies to AI systems and what businesses must do to prevent algorithmic discrimination. Covers indirect discrimination through proxy characteristics, bias testing approaches, and practical examples across recruitment, pricing, and credit scoring.
Read guideAI regulation timeline and key dates
Quick reference for all key AI regulation dates and upcoming milestones. Covers the EU AI Act implementation timeline, UK regulatory developments, copyright consultations, and penalty commencement dates that affect businesses operating in or trading with the UK and EU.
Read guideAvoid wrongful trading as a company director
How directors can avoid personal liability for wrongful trading under section 214 of the Insolvency Act 1986. Covers the legal test, the "every step" defence, and what to do when your company faces insolvency.
Read guideBattery producer responsibility
How to comply with the Batteries and Accumulators Regulations as a battery producer. Covers who counts as a producer, registration with the Environment Agency, joining a Battery Compliance Scheme, collection targets, labelling requirements, take-back obligations for portable, industrial, and automotive batteries, and annual reporting.
Read guideBusiness regulations: Scotland vs England differences
Read guideCompany rescue and insolvency options
Comprehensive guide to insolvency procedures for UK limited companies facing financial distress. Covers rescue options (CVA, administration), solvent closure (MVL), and insolvent liquidation (CVL, compulsory winding up). Includes directors' duties, personal liability risks, and when to seek professional advice.
Read guideCreditor priority in company insolvency
The order in which creditors are paid when a company goes into liquidation or administration. Covers fixed and floating charges, preferential debts, the prescribed part, and what unsecured creditors can expect.
Read guideEU AI Act: what UK businesses need to know
Comprehensive guide to how the EU AI Act affects UK businesses placing AI systems on the EU market or serving EU users. Covers the four risk tiers, implementation timeline, high-risk obligations, general-purpose AI rules, penalties, and how EU requirements interact with UK domestic regulation.
Read guideFile your company accounts with Companies House
How to prepare and file annual accounts for your limited company, including filing deadlines, size thresholds for simplified accounts, audit exemption rules, and late filing penalties under the Companies Act 2006.
Read guideGender pay gap reporting
Mandatory gender pay gap reporting for large employers and transparency obligations.
Read guideMaintain your import records
What import records you must keep, how long to keep them, and how to store them to meet HMRC requirements.
Read guideManaging export business risk and corruption
UK Bribery Act compliance, due diligence on overseas buyers, political risk assessment, and IP protection abroad.
Read guidePersons with Significant Control (PSC) register requirements
Your legal duties to identify, record, and report Persons with Significant Control to Companies House. Covers the 25% ownership thresholds, notification deadlines, identity verification, and penalties for non-compliance.
Read guidePrepare for EU AI Act high-risk obligations
Practical steps to prepare for EU AI Act high-risk AI system obligations before the 2 August 2026 deadline. Covers classification, conformity assessment, technical documentation, quality management, and post-market monitoring for UK businesses deploying high-risk AI in the EU.
Read guideSet up a limited company
Steps to incorporate and register your limited company.
Read guideSubmitting VAT returns
How to calculate VAT, choose an accounting scheme, submit returns through Making Tax Digital, pay on time, correct errors, claim bad debt relief, and understand the penalty regime for late submission and late payment.
Read guideWEEE producer responsibility compliance
How to comply with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations as a producer. Covers who counts as a WEEE producer, registration with the Environment Agency, joining a Producer Compliance Scheme, reporting obligations, take-back requirements, WEEE categories, and the crossed-out wheelie bin marking.
Read guideWelsh language requirements for public sector contractors
Read guideWelsh language: what businesses need to know
Read guideYour duties as a company director
The seven general duties every company director must follow under the Companies Act 2006, with guidance on stakeholder considerations, filing deadlines, conflicts of interest, and disqualification risks.
Read guideCorporate Governance
Bribery Act 2010: compliance for businesses
How to prevent bribery in your business and comply with the Bribery Act 2010. Covers the Section 7 corporate offence, the "adequate procedures" defence, the six principles for prevention, due diligence on third parties, and penalties including unlimited fines for organisations.
Read guideEquality and menopause action plans for large employers
Requirements for mandatory gender pay gap action plans and menopause support action plans for employers with 250 or more employees, introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025. Expected to commence in 2027.
Read guideWhistleblowing: protected disclosures and employer duties
How to handle whistleblowing disclosures as an employer. Covers what qualifies as a protected disclosure, your legal obligations, protection from detriment and dismissal, and how to create an effective whistleblowing policy.
Read guideLicensing & Permits
Approvals and registrations you need before trading
Understanding the approvals, registrations, and licences your business needs before you can legally start trading. Covers universal registrations, activity-triggered licences, professional body requirements, and how to identify what applies to you.
Read guideBusiness licences by activity type
A quick-reference lookup of UK business licences organised by activity type, covering food, alcohol, entertainment, waste, street trading, childcare, transport, and financial services. Identifies what triggers each licence and where to apply.
Read guideBusiness licenses: what you need
Find out what licenses and permits your business needs to operate legally.
Read guideEnvironmental permits in Northern Ireland: applying to NIEA
How to apply for environmental permits from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). Covers the NI permitting system for waste management, water discharge, industrial emissions, and water abstraction, which operates under separate legislation from England, Wales, and Scotland.
Read guideEnvironmental permits in Wales: applying to NRW
How to apply for environmental permits in Wales through Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Covers the main permit types (environmental, waste, water abstraction, marine, flood risk activity, felling), the NRW application process, fees, and the online portal. NRW is the sole environmental regulator in Wales - the Environment Agency covers England only.
Read guideFind licences you need for your business
How to identify and apply for the licences, permits, and registrations your business needs using GOV.UK Licence Finder. Covers premises licences, food registration, transport, entertainment, and environmental permits.
Read guideGet licences from your local council
Comprehensive guide to local authority licensing requirements including premises licences for alcohol and entertainment, food business registration, street trading, pavement licences, Temporary Event Notices, and taxi licensing. Understand fees, application processes, and how to find the licences you need.
Read guideLocal authority approvals for new businesses
How to navigate local council departments when setting up business premises. Covers planning permission, building control, environmental health, licensing, and business rates, including the order in which to approach each department.
Read guidePenalties for trading without required approvals
Quick-reference table of penalties for operating a business without required licences, registrations, or insurance, covering criminal offences, fines, closure orders, and imprisonment.
Read guidePre-trading compliance checklist
A concise yes/no checklist to verify you have completed all mandatory pre-trading requirements, including business registration, tax, insurance, licences, premises approvals, and data protection.
Read guidePre-trading timeline: when to apply for what
A month-by-month countdown from three months before your trading day, showing when to apply for each registration, licence, and approval based on typical processing times.
Read guideProfessional registrations: regulated sectors
Which business sectors require professional or regulator registration before trading, what the registration process involves, and how long it typically takes to obtain approval.
Read guideConsumer Protection
Start a subscription business
Guide to setting up a recurring revenue business covering pricing tiers, payment processing, legal requirements, churn management, and customer retention.
Read guideBusiness Insurance
Business insurance: what you need
Understanding mandatory and recommended insurance for your business, including employers' liability, public liability, professional indemnity, and sector-specific cover.
Read guideBusiness interruption insurance
How business interruption insurance works, what it covers, and how to calculate the right level of cover. Includes guidance on indemnity periods, extensions worth considering, and lessons from the FCA Test Case on pandemic wordings.
Read guideChoosing the right business insurance
A step-by-step decision guide to help small businesses identify which insurance they need, from mandatory cover like employers' liability through to risk-based options like cyber and business interruption insurance.
Read guideComparing business insurance policies
How to compare insurance quotes and policy documents so you choose cover that actually protects your business. Covers what to look for beyond price, how to read a policy schedule, and your disclosure obligations at renewal.
Read guideCyber insurance for businesses
Understanding what cyber insurance covers, when your business needs it, and how UK GDPR obligations create financial exposure that specialist cover can help manage. Includes guidance on underwriting requirements and choosing the right level of cover.
Read guideEmployers' liability insurance: the complete guide
A comprehensive guide to employers' liability insurance, explaining who must have it, who is exempt, what it covers, penalties for non-compliance, and how to choose adequate cover. Essential reading for anyone hiring staff.
Read guideProduct liability and insurance
How strict liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 works in practice, what statutory defences are available, and why products liability insurance is essential for manufacturers, importers, and retailers.
Read guideReviewing and renewing business insurance
How to review, compare, and renew your business insurance each year. Covers the renewal timeline, your disclosure obligations under the Insurance Act 2015, and how to avoid gaps in cover.
Read guideGuides
Doing business in Wales: key differences from England
Reference guide summarising the key regulatory divergences between Wales and England for businesses. Covers planning, business rates, Land Transaction Tax, Welsh language, visitor accommodation registration, SuDS, environmental regulation, and workplace recycling.
Read guide