Topic

Sector-Specific

Industry-specific guidance and regulations

Food & Hospitality

Register and run a safe food and drink manufacturing business

The universal spine for food and drink manufacturers (SIC division 10_11): the duties every site carries whatever it makes. It covers registering your food business, putting a HACCP-based food safety system in place, the hygiene rating inspection, allergen labelling, protecting your workers from hazards including flour and grain dust, employers' liability insurance, and your site's environmental, trade-effluent and packaging duties.

Register and run a food business

How to register your food business with your local authority, meet food hygiene requirements, and achieve a good food hygiene rating. Essential compliance for all food businesses including home-based and mobile.

Meet your aquaculture and freshwater fishing duties

If you run a fish farm, shellfish farm, hatchery or recirculating aquaculture system, or fish freshwater commercially, you need authorisation from the Fish Health Inspectorate, the right marine or freshwater licences, and — for shellfish — classified production areas. This guide covers all the sector-specific licensing and consenting from aquaculture authorisation through to water abstraction for land-based farms.

Food and drink manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your food or drink manufacturing business (SIC division 10_11) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal items every manufacturer shares, then the product-specific sections for animal-origin products, alcohol, soft drinks, contaminant-risk food and animal feed. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Get approved and pay duty as an alcohol producer: beer, spirits, wine and cider

If you brew beer, distil spirits, make wine or cider, ferment other products or malt grain, you must hold an HMRC Alcoholic Products Producer Approval (APPA) before you start producing. This guide walks you through getting approved, submitting duty returns, registering as a wholesaler, claiming Small Producer Relief, protecting a geographical indication, licensing a taproom and controlling grain dust in malting.

Food safety compliance checklist

Quick verification checklist for food business operators. Covers registration, HACCP, temperature control, allergens, training, record keeping, and premises hygiene.

Premises licence: how to apply

How to apply for a premises licence to sell alcohol, provide late night refreshment, or offer regulated entertainment in England and Wales. Covers the four licensing objectives, fee bands, and the representations and hearings process.

Wales food business compliance checklist

Quick verification checklist for Wales-specific food business obligations. Covers local authority registration, mandatory food hygiene rating display, food waste separation, Natural Resources Wales permits, and Welsh language best practice.

Food Safety for Childcare Providers

Food safety and nutrition requirements for childcare settings, including food business registration, allergen management, HACCP systems, and Ofsted nutrition expectations.

How food safety enforcement works in Wales

How food safety is enforced in Wales, including the role of the Food Standards Agency Wales and local authority environmental health officers. Covers risk-based inspections, improvement notices, prohibition orders, prosecution, and Food Hygiene Rating Scheme enforcement powers.

Register a food business in Wales

How to register a food business with one of the 22 Welsh local authorities. Covers the Welsh-specific registration process, bilingual forms, what happens after registration, and key differences from the England registration system.

Get approved food establishment status in Wales

How to apply for approved establishment status through FSA Wales for businesses processing meat, dairy, fish, or egg products. Covers the application process, local authority and FSA Wales roles, premises requirements, conditional approval, identification marks, and ongoing compliance obligations under Regulation (EC) 853/2004.

Meet food composition, contaminant and labelling controls

If you make processed food — bread, biscuits, confectionery, cocoa products, edible oils, coffee, spices, prepared meals or processed fruit and vegetables — you must keep contaminants and pesticide residues within legal limits and control the contaminants that form during processing. This guide takes you through monitoring contaminants and residues, getting novel foods and additives authorised, and meeting the special rules for infant formula and food for special medical purposes.

VAT for hospitality businesses

Understanding VAT rules for restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels, and other hospitality businesses. Covers food and drink VAT rates, the hot food test, premises facilities, accommodation, tips and service charges, and staff meals.

Get your animal-origin establishment approved: meat, poultry, fish and dairy

If you make products of animal origin — meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or dairy — you need establishment approval before you trade, not just food business registration. This guide takes you through getting each establishment approved, meeting animal-welfare competence at slaughter, handling animal by-products, and embedding product-specific safety controls.

Starting a food business in Wales: what you need to know

Overview of what makes starting a food business in Wales different from the rest of the UK. Covers the mandatory Food Hygiene Rating Scheme display requirement, Welsh local authority registration, food waste separation obligations, and Welsh Government support programmes available to new food businesses.

Control food temperatures safely

Keep food at safe temperatures throughout storage, cooking, holding, cooling, and reheating to prevent harmful bacterial growth and comply with food hygiene law.

Environmental permits for food businesses in Wales

How to identify and apply for the environmental permits your food business needs from Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Covers trade effluent consent, water abstraction, smoke and odour controls, food waste treatment permits, and packaging waste obligations. NRW is the principal environmental regulator in Wales — do not apply to the Environment Agency.

Prepare for a food hygiene inspection

Use this checklist to prepare your food business for an environmental health inspection. Covers the three areas inspectors score, documentation you need ready, common failures, and what happens after the inspection.

Apply for entertainment and alcohol premises licence

Complete guide to applying for a premises licence for entertainment, alcohol sales, or late-night refreshment in England and Wales - including fees, consultation requirements, and licensing objectives.

Food safety requirements in Scotland

How food safety regulation differs in Scotland. Covers Food Standards Scotland, CookSafe, the Food Hygiene Information Scheme, and key legislative differences that affect Scottish food businesses.

Food traceability, withdrawal, and recall

Maintain food traceability records using the one step back, one step forward principle, and follow the correct procedures if you need to withdraw or recall unsafe food.

Set up food premises that meet hygiene standards

How to set up food premises that meet the legal hygiene standards under Regulation (EC) 852/2004. Covers layout, surfaces, ventilation, handwashing, storage, pest control, and when you need approved establishment status.

Food and drink regulations and traceability

Comply with HFSS labelling, traceability requirements, alcohol duty obligations, packaging regulations, waste disposal, and animal by-products rules.

Comply with mandatory food hygiene rating display in Wales

Wales is one of only two UK nations where displaying your food hygiene rating is a legal requirement. This guide explains how to comply with the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013, including where to display your sticker, your duty to provide rating information on request, what happens if you do not display, and what to do if you disagree with your rating.

Food Information Regulations 2014 compliance

Comply with mandatory food labelling and information requirements under UK and assimilated EU law.

Make soft drinks and bottled water: levy, recognition and water abstraction

If you make soft drinks or bottle natural mineral water, spring water or bottled drinking water, you face three obligations on top of the universal food-safety duties: the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on added-sugar drinks, formal recognition before you can market a product as natural mineral water, and a water abstraction licence if you take water from your own source. This guide takes you through each in turn.

Selling food online: labelling and safety requirements

Comply with distance selling rules when selling food online, including providing mandatory food information before purchase, allergen labelling at two points, and maintaining safe delivery temperatures.

Food safety and hygiene requirements

HACCP-based food safety management systems, allergen labelling requirements including Natasha's Law, and food business registration for hospitality operators in the UK.

Food safety training for your staff

Food hygiene certificates are not a legal requirement -- UK law requires competency, not certificates. This guide explains what training your food handlers actually need, available course levels, and how to demonstrate compliance during inspections.

Food business registration

Register your food business with your local authority before starting operations.

Food business support and grants in Wales

Welsh Government food business support and grants — Business Wales, Food Innovation Wales, Cywain, Farming Connect, Development Bank of Wales, and protected food names.

Hospitality annual compliance checklist

Annual compliance checklist for hospitality businesses covering all key regulatory obligations: licence renewals, fire safety reviews, food safety system updates, gas safety checks, insurance renewals, tipping policy reviews, waste management, and music licensing.

Run an animal feed or pet food business: APHA registration, additives and feed controls

Making animal feed or pet food (SIC division 10_11) is regulated separately from human food. You register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) as a feed business operator, use only authorised feed additives at permitted levels, control the ruminant feed ban and other TSE cross-contamination risks, register your establishment for animal by-products if you use them, and label feed and pet food to its own statutory rules.

Appeal your food hygiene rating or request a re-rating in Wales

If you disagree with your food hygiene rating in Wales, you can appeal within 21 days, submit a right of reply, or request a re-rating visit after making improvements. This guide explains each option, the deadlines you must meet, and what fees apply.

Novel foods authorisation in Great Britain

How to determine whether your food product requires novel food authorisation in Great Britain, and how to apply. Covers the definition of novel food, the FSA authorisation process, safety assessment by the ACNFP, application requirements, timeline expectations, and differences for Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Music and entertainment licensing

TheMusicLicence requirements for playing background music, hosting live performances, and DJ events in hospitality venues including costs, what's covered, and how to comply with PPL PRS.

Which hospitality rules apply to your business

Hospitality is regulated by what you serve and where guests sleep. Serving food brings registration and hygiene duties. Selling alcohol needs premises and personal licences. Offering beds brings fire, gas and guest-records duties that scale from a single B&B room to a holiday park. Work out which parts of the industry you operate in below, then follow the matching guidance.

Food safety management systems and HACCP

Implement HACCP-based food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.

Set up and run a compliant farm shop

How to register, comply with food safety, and handle VAT when selling produce directly from your farm. Covers food business registration, HACCP requirements, and VAT treatment of different products.

Which food and drink manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every food and drink manufacturer starts the same way: register the food business with the local authority and prepare for a hygiene-rating inspection. After that the rules diverge sharply by what you make.

Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

Understand the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and display your rating.

Allergen control systems and Natasha's Law

Implement comprehensive allergen management systems and comply with Natasha's Law PPDS labelling requirements.

Hospitality sector market overview

Market size, growth trends, investment opportunities, and key statistics for the UK hospitality sector including employment, business counts, and economic contribution.

Food handler training requirements

Legal training requirements for food handlers - training is mandatory, but certificates are not. Understanding the competency-based approach and debunking the certificate myth.

Food hygiene and HACCP

Implement food safety management procedures based on HACCP principles.

Allergen information requirements

Provide clear allergen information for all food you sell.

Food labelling requirements

Label prepacked food correctly with all mandatory information.

Construction

Meet Building Safety Act requirements for higher-risk buildings

How to comply with the Building Safety Act 2022 for higher-risk buildings (18m+ or 7+ storeys). Covers gateway approvals, golden thread requirements, and accountable person duties for building owners, developers and managing agents in England.

Apply for development consent for major infrastructure

How to apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Covers the 6-stage application process, NSIP thresholds, community consultation requirements, examination procedures, and the Section 35 route for business projects of national significance.

Construction payment rights and adjudication

Your statutory rights to payment and rapid dispute resolution under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. Covers payment notices, pay-less notices, stage payments, suspension rights, retention, and the 28-day adjudication process including 'smash and grab' claims.

Building control and Building Regulations approval

How to get Building Regulations approval for construction work - application types, competent person schemes, inspection process, and compliance certificates.

Building safety duties for Accountable Persons

Your legal duties as an Accountable Person or Principal Accountable Person for a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers registration, safety case reports, resident engagement, mandatory occurrence reporting, golden thread maintenance, and Building Assessment Certificates for buildings 18 metres or higher (or 7+ storeys) with 2 or more residential units in England.

Highway works and street works permits

How to obtain permits and comply with regulations when carrying out works on public highways in England and Wales. Covers notice periods, qualifications, Fixed Penalty Notices (doubled from January 2026), Section 50 licences, vehicle crossings, builders' skips, and Section 74 overrun charges.

Comply with CDM Regulations for construction projects

How to comply with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Covers duty holder responsibilities, when to appoint Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, notifiable project thresholds, and F10 notification requirements.

How to correct errors on your CIS return

Step-by-step process for correcting Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) return errors without incurring penalties. Covers different error types, amendment methods for current and previous years, dealing with wrong deductions, incorrect UTRs, and materials errors.

Construction tax compliance - how CIS, VAT, CITB, and PAYE work together

An integrated view of construction industry tax obligations showing how CIS deductions, VAT reverse charge, CITB levy, and PAYE interact on the same payments. Includes worked examples demonstrating all obligations for typical subcontractor payments.

Drainage and utilities compliance checklist

Pre-start compliance checklist for drainage and utility infrastructure works. Covers Section 104 sewer adoption, Approved Document H, confined space permits, cable avoidance, SWQR qualifications, and water discharge environmental permits.

Manage hazardous construction materials

How to comply with COSHH 2002 when working with cement, silica dust, solvents, and wood dust on construction sites, and with the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002 when disturbing lead paint. Covers COSHH assessments, workplace exposure limits, health surveillance, RPE selection, and dust suppression controls.

VAT reverse charge for construction

When and how to apply the VAT domestic reverse charge for construction services. Essential guidance for contractors, subcontractors, and anyone receiving construction services who needs to understand their VAT obligations under the reverse charge rules.

Construction materials compliance checklist

Quick-check list for construction contractors covering CE/UKCA product marking, COSHH assessments, silica dust exposure limits, timber due diligence, aggregate levy obligations, and materials storage requirements.

Set up traffic management for road works

How to plan and set up traffic management for road works in England, Wales, and Scotland. Covers Chapter 8 signing and guarding requirements, traffic management plans, temporary traffic signals, qualified operative requirements, and obtaining highway authority approval.

Building safety duties for designers

Your legal duties as a designer under the Building Safety Act 2022 when working on higher-risk buildings. Covers the Principal Designer role, competence requirements, golden thread responsibilities, gateway submissions, and personal liability for architects, structural engineers, and other designers in England.

Register a higher-risk building with BSR

Step-by-step guide to registering a higher-risk building with the Building Safety Regulator. Covers who must register, information requirements, fees, deadlines, and ongoing notification obligations for Principal Accountable Persons in England.

Safe utility trenching and cable avoidance

How to dig safely near underground services on construction sites. Covers HSG47 safe digging practices, cable avoidance tool (CAT) use, utility record searches, hand digging zones, trench support, and emergency procedures for utility strikes.

Work safely in confined spaces on drainage projects

How to comply with the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 when working in manholes, sewers, chambers, and service ducts on drainage projects. Covers risk assessment, safe systems of work, atmospheric monitoring, emergency rescue arrangements, and permits to enter.

Appealing a CIS penalty - what counts as a reasonable excuse

How to appeal Construction Industry Scheme late filing or late payment penalties. Includes examples of reasonable excuses HMRC accepts and rejects, the appeal process with deadlines, and what evidence you need to support your case.

CIS nil returns - when you must file and when you don't

When you must submit a CIS nil return and when you can avoid monthly filing. Covers the rules in force since 6 April 2026 requiring a nil return OR advance notification for months with no subcontractor payments, and how inactivity requests now work.

CITB and ECITB training levies for construction

Understand your obligations under the CITB and ECITB training levies, including current rates, exemption thresholds, small employer reductions, and how to claim grants to offset costs.

Commission protected species surveys for your site

How to commission ecological surveys for development sites that may support protected species. Covers when surveys are needed, types of survey for bats, great crested newts, badgers, and nesting birds, seasonal survey windows, choosing a qualified ecologist, and interpreting survey results to determine whether you need a wildlife licence.

Common CIS mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common Construction Industry Scheme compliance mistakes contractors make, with practical prevention tips for each. Covers materials treatment errors, verification lapses, deduction miscalculations, and filing failures that can trigger penalties.

Principal Accountable Person additional duties

Additional duties for Principal Accountable Persons managing higher-risk buildings with multiple accountable persons. Covers coordination responsibilities, building registration, safety case preparation, resident engagement strategy ownership, and Building Safety Regulator liaison duties under the Building Safety Act 2022.

What to do if you've missed a CIS deadline

Immediate steps when you have missed the 19th filing deadline or 22nd payment deadline for CIS monthly returns. Covers penalty mitigation, filing late returns, making late payments, and how to reduce your exposure to escalating penalties.

Appoint an Accountable Person for a higher-risk building

How to identify, appoint, and document the Accountable Person for a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers who qualifies as an AP, when you need a Principal Accountable Person, the non-delegable nature of duties, and registration requirements with the Building Safety Regulator.

Keeping your CIS gross payment status

How to maintain your CIS gross payment status once granted. Covers annual review timing, the compliance test, early warning signs that your GPS is at risk, and the difference between cancellation and revocation.

Mandatory SuDS approval in Wales

How to obtain mandatory Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) approval from your local authority SAB in Wales, including thresholds, fees, timelines, and penalties for non-compliance.

Start a construction business

Essential compliance requirements for starting a construction business in the UK, including CDM regulations, health and safety obligations, waste management, and insurance.

Structural works compliance checklist

Pre-start checklist for structural works covering demolition notices, asbestos surveys, temporary works design, excavation permits, LOLER examinations, and CPCS competency cards. Use this before beginning any structural, demolition, or deep excavation work on a construction project.

Excavation and foundation safety

HSE requirements for safe excavation and foundation work on construction sites. Covers trench support systems, edge protection, safe access, cable and pipe avoidance, inspection duties, and emergency procedures for collapse. Trench collapse is a leading cause of construction fatalities in the UK.

Submit a Gateway 2 application to BSR

How to apply for Gateway 2 building control approval from the Building Safety Regulator before starting construction on a higher-risk building. Covers submission requirements, documentation, fees, realistic timescales, and change control procedures for principal designers, principal contractors, and developers in England.

Using occasional labour on construction jobs - your CIS obligations

A scenario-based guide for sole traders who sometimes hire labourers for construction jobs. Explains when the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) applies, what you must do, and the consequences of getting it wrong. Written in plain English for tradespeople like plumbers, electricians, and builders who occasionally need an extra pair of hands.

Your GPS has been cancelled - what happens now

What to do after your CIS gross payment status is cancelled. Understand the difference between cancellation and revocation, manage the cash flow impact, and learn when you can reapply for GPS.

Building safety duties for contractors

Your legal duties as a contractor working on higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers Principal Contractor responsibilities, golden thread contributions, change control, Gateway 3 sign-off, and how SME contractors fit into the new regime. England only.

Demolition safety and compliance

How to comply with demolition safety requirements in England and Wales. Covers Section 80/81 demolition notices, asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys, CDM 2015 Schedule 3 particular risks, BS 6187 code of practice, structural stability assessments, method statements, and competent person requirements.

Accessibility requirements for businesses

Legal obligations to make your business accessible to disabled people under the Equality Act 2010, including premises, websites, and service provision. Covers reasonable adjustments, building regulations, and sector-specific requirements.

Appoint a Principal Designer

Your duty as a construction client to appoint a Principal Designer when your project will involve more than one contractor. Covers who can be appointed, competence requirements, and what happens if you do not appoint.

Construction drainage design and compliance

How to design and install foul and surface water drainage that meets Approved Document H requirements. Covers pipe sizing, gradients, access points, testing, connection to public sewers under Section 106, and build-over agreements.

Create and maintain the golden thread

How to create, manage and hand over the golden thread of building information for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers responsibilities at each phase, format requirements, and common compliance pitfalls.

Flood risk assessment and SuDS compliance

How to assess flood risk for development sites and comply with Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) requirements. Covers Flood Risk Assessments, Sequential and Exception Tests, and the major regulatory divergence between England and Wales on mandatory SuDS.

Hand over the golden thread at building completion

How principal contractors hand over golden thread information to the Accountable Person at Gateway 3 completion for higher-risk buildings. Covers what to include, format requirements, training obligations, and documentation of the transfer in England.

Submit your CIS monthly return

Monthly reporting requirement for contractors under the Construction Industry Scheme. Covers filing deadlines, what to include in your return, nil returns, calculating deductions, and penalties for late filing.

Apply for a building warrant in Scotland

How to apply for a building warrant for construction work in Scotland under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, including fees, the completion certificate process, exemptions, and penalties for non-compliance.

Architects' and engineers' design duties

If you design buildings or infrastructure — as an architect, engineer, surveyor or other designer — you carry statutory duties under the Building Regulations, the CDM 2015 designer duties and, for higher-risk buildings, the Building Safety Act 2022. Only "architect" is a protected title, so architects must also register with the ARB. This guide explains what every designer must do, and where the rules differ by nation.

CIS for small builders - what you actually need to know

A 5-minute guide to the Construction Industry Scheme for small builders with 1 to 10 subcontractors. Covers the 5 essential steps to stay compliant, with worked examples and common mistakes to avoid. Plain English, no jargon.

Crane and lifting operations for structural work

LOLER 1998 requirements for crane and lifting operations on construction sites. Covers appointed persons, lift planning, thorough examination intervals, and competency requirements for crane operators, slinger/signallers, and piling rig operators.

Hand over the golden thread at building completion

How to hand over the golden thread of building information from the construction team to the Accountable Person at building completion. Covers what must be transferred, format requirements, verification checks, and common handover failures for principal contractors, principal designers, and receiving Accountable Persons in England.

Piling and earthworks compliance

Regulatory requirements for piling operations and earthworks on construction sites. Covers vibration monitoring under BS 5228 and BS 7385-2, noise control under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, Section 61 prior consent applications, contaminated land handling under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Materials Management Plans, CL:AIRE Definition of Waste Code of Practice, CDM 2015 Schedule 3 particular risks for piling and excavation, and ground investigation standards.

Submit F10 notification to HSE

How to notify the Health and Safety Executive of notifiable construction projects under CDM 2015. Covers notification thresholds, required information, how to submit online, and site display requirements.

Get a wildlife licence for your development project

How to obtain wildlife licences from Natural England before development that affects protected species. Covers European Protected Species mitigation licences, bat surveys, badger sett closures, the new charging regime from April 2025, and devolved licensing differences in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Your CIS monthly compliance cycle

A day-by-day workflow for CIS compliance throughout the tax month cycle. Shows contractors exactly what to do and when, from the 6th to the 22nd, to avoid penalties and stay compliant with HMRC. Addresses the most common pain point for construction businesses - managing the continuous administrative burden of CIS.

CIS registration does not determine employment status

Why being CIS-registered does not make someone self-employed. Understand the critical distinction between CIS (a tax collection mechanism) and employment status (a legal relationship). Covers employment status tests, the CEST tool, IR35 implications, and the risks of misclassification for both contractors and workers.

Manage invasive non-native species on your land

Legal obligations for managing invasive non-native species on business premises and development sites. Covers Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, identification, treatment options, controlled waste disposal, and liability implications for property transactions.

CDM 2015: your duties as a construction client

Your legal duties when commissioning construction work under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Covers appointing Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, providing pre-construction information, notification requirements, and the difference between commercial and domestic clients.

Create a construction phase plan

How to prepare a construction phase plan under CDM 2015 Regulation 12. Covers what must be included, when it must be ready, who is responsible, and how to keep it updated throughout the project.

Managing cashflow when CIS deductions are taken

Practical guidance for construction subcontractors on managing cashflow when 20% is deducted from every payment. Covers budgeting strategies, reclaiming deductions through Self Assessment, and deciding whether to apply for gross payment status.

Protecting your business from CIS supply chain fraud

Contractors can face 30% penalties and GPS cancellation if they 'knew or should have known' about fraud in their supply chain. This guide explains the due diligence steps you must take to protect your business, the warning signs to watch for, and how to document your checks.

Adopt new sewers under Section 104

How to get new sewers adopted by the water and sewerage company under Section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991. Covers the adoption agreement process, Design and Construction Guidance standards, bond requirements, the inspection regime, vesting of assets, and the separate Section 106 right to connect.

CSCS Card Requirements

Get a CSCS card to demonstrate construction skills competence and access construction sites.

Design and construct SuDS for new developments

How to design and construct sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for new developments. Covers CIRIA C753 design principles, SuDS component types, the regulatory divergence between England and Wales, SAB approval in Wales, and adoption arrangements for completed systems.

Manage the CDM health and safety file

Principal Designer's duty to prepare and maintain the health and safety file under CDM 2015. Covers what the file must contain, when to start it, format requirements, handover to client, and the client's ongoing responsibilities for keeping and updating the file.

Apply for CIS gross payment status

How subcontractors can apply for gross payment status to receive the full value of construction payments without deductions. Covers eligibility requirements, the three tests, application process, and maintaining GPS once granted.

Appoint a Principal Contractor

How to appoint a Principal Contractor under CDM 2015. Covers when appointment is required, who can be appointed, competence requirements, making the appointment in writing, and what happens if you fail to appoint.

CIS: verifying subcontractors with HMRC

How to verify subcontractors under the Construction Industry Scheme before making payments. Covers the verification process, payment statuses, record-keeping requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.

IR35 rules for off-payroll working

How to assess contractor status under IR35 off-payroll working rules. Covers who must make determinations, the key employment tests, CEST tool, and penalties for getting it wrong.

Use MEWPs (cherry pickers and scissor lifts) safely

How to select, operate, and maintain mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) safely and legally. Covers choosing the right MEWP type, IPAF operator certification, LOLER thorough examination, daily pre-use checks, ground conditions, rescue planning, and exclusion zones.

Am I a 'deemed contractor' under CIS?

Determine whether your business is a 'deemed contractor' under the Construction Industry Scheme. If you are not primarily in construction but spend over 3 million pounds on construction work in any 12-month period, you must register and operate CIS. This guide helps property developers, retailers, hoteliers, and other non-construction businesses understand their obligations.

Apply for Gateway 3 completion certificate

How to apply for a Gateway 3 completion certificate from the Building Safety Regulator before anyone can occupy a higher-risk building. Covers documentation requirements, signatory duties, realistic timescales, and common rejection reasons for developers, principal designers, and principal contractors in England.

Calculate CIS deductions

How contractors calculate and make CIS deductions from subcontractor payments. This guide covers which deduction rate to apply, how to treat materials costs, and the step-by-step calculation process with a worked example. Essential for any CIS contractor paying subcontractors for construction work.

Reinstatement standards for highway works

Reinstatement categories, guarantee periods, materials specifications, inspection regime, and defect correction requirements under the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH). Covers road categories, compaction standards, coring powers, and penalties for non-compliance.

Resident engagement requirements for higher-risk buildings

How to meet your resident engagement duties under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers engagement strategies, information provision, consultation requirements, complaints handling, and record-keeping for accountable persons managing higher-risk buildings in England.

Warning signs of CIS fraud in your supply chain

How to identify red flags that could indicate CIS fraud in your supply chain. Covers missing UTRs, unusual payment patterns, phoenix company indicators, and labour-only invoice anomalies. Essential reading for contractors subject to fraud due diligence requirements.

Carry out works affecting the strategic road network

How to obtain National Highways approval before carrying out works on or adjacent to motorways and trunk roads in England. Covers DMRB design standards, the design review process, road space booking, technical approval for structures, traffic management requirements, and penalties for unauthorised works.

Register as a CIS contractor

How to register as a contractor under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). This guide explains who must register, the registration process, and your ongoing obligations once registered. Essential for anyone paying subcontractors for construction work or spending over 3 million GBP on construction operations.

Verify a subcontractor's CIS status

How to verify subcontractors before making payments under the Construction Industry Scheme. Contractors must verify every new subcontractor with HMRC to determine the correct deduction rate and avoid penalties.

Building regulations in Northern Ireland

How building regulations work in Northern Ireland, where district councils are the sole building control authorities and there are no approved inspectors. Covers the Technical Booklet system, types of building control approval, inspections, and key differences from England, Wales, and Scotland.

Construction product marking - CE and UKCA compliance

How the Construction Products (Amendment) Regulations 2025 affect CE and UKCA marking for construction products placed on the Great Britain market. CE marking continues to be recognised until further notice, and from 8 January 2026 GB also recognises products complying with the new EU Construction Products Regulation 2024/3110. UKCA marking remains voluntary. Covers Declarations of Performance, harmonised and designated standards, and OPSS enforcement.

Manage temporary works on construction projects

How to manage temporary works safely on construction projects. Covers the temporary works coordinator role, BS 5975 procedures, design checking, permit to load and strike, and handover requirements for formwork, propping, falsework, and shoring.

Timber sourcing compliance for construction

How to comply with the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR) when sourcing timber for construction projects. Covers due diligence obligations for operators, the three-step due diligence system, chain of custody requirements, FLEGT licensing, CITES permits for protected species, construction-specific timber products in scope, and enforcement by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

Claim a refund for CIS deductions

How CIS subcontractors can offset or claim back the tax deductions taken from their construction payments. Includes different processes for sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies.

Register as a CIS subcontractor

How to register as a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme. Registration reduces tax deductions from your payments from 30% to 20%, improving your cash flow.

Aggregates Levy for construction businesses

Current Aggregates Levy rate, registration requirements, exemptions for recycled and secondary aggregates, returns and payment deadlines, and the interaction between the Aggregates Levy and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) deductions.

Ensure scaffolding safety on your site

How to meet your legal duties for scaffolding on construction sites. Covers design and planning, erection by competent scaffolders, the mandatory inspection regime, handover procedures, loading limits, and safe access.

Architecture, engineering and testing compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for division-71 businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every professional practice shares, then every section that describes what you do — architect, designer, or testing and analysis laboratory (architects are also designers). Several design duties differ by nation, so check the rule for where you work.

Building Safety Levy for developers

How the Building Safety Levy affects residential developers in England. Covers exemptions for small sites, rates, timing, and planning for levy costs. Essential reading for SME housebuilders and developers of new residential buildings.

Control risks from roof work

How to plan and manage roof work safely. Covers edge protection requirements, fragile roof identification and precautions, pitched and flat roof safety, safety nets, fall arrest, weather considerations, and the need for competent supervision.

Resident engagement requirements for higher-risk buildings

How to create and implement a residents' engagement strategy for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022. Covers what the strategy must contain, resident information rights, handling complaints, and reporting to the Building Safety Regulator. For Accountable Persons and property managers in England.

Which architecture, engineering and testing rules apply to your business

Division 71 covers very different businesses — designing buildings as an architect, providing engineering or other design consultancy, and carrying out technical testing and analysis in a laboratory. Each has its own rules, on top of the duties they all share. Work out which description fits you and follow the right guide.

Apply for a flood risk activity permit

How to apply for a flood risk activity permit (FRAP) from the Environment Agency for work on or near main rivers, flood defences, and sea defences. Covers exemptions, standard rules permits, and bespoke permits under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016.

Adopt new roads and streets for developers

How to get new roads adopted as publicly maintained highways through Section 38 agreements under the Highways Act 1980. Covers the adoption process, bond requirements, construction to adoptable standard using DMRB or local design guides, inspection fees, maintenance periods, final adoption, Section 219 advance payments for private streets, and the Section 228 adoption process for existing private streets.

Professional Services

Get FCA authorisation for financial services

How to apply for Financial Conduct Authority authorisation to carry on regulated financial activities. Covers the application process, fees, capital requirements, and ongoing compliance obligations including Consumer Duty.

Start a clinical laboratory service

How to set up and operate a clinical laboratory in the UK. Covers UKAS accreditation, CQC registration, HTA licensing, MHRA requirements, professional registration, and quality standards for medical testing services.

UK sanctions compliance for businesses

How to comply with UK financial sanctions. Includes OFSI enforcement powers, asset freeze requirements, screening obligations, breach reporting, licensing procedures, and major sanctions regimes.

Running clinical trials in the UK

How to get MHRA authorisation for clinical trials of investigational medicinal products (CTIMPs). Covers combined review process, GCP requirements, safety reporting, informed consent, and the 2026 regulatory framework.

Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance

Essential guide to AML compliance for UK businesses under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.

FCA consumer credit authorisation

How to get FCA authorisation to offer consumer credit, including lending, credit broking, and debt collection. Covers application process, fees, responsible lending requirements, and high-cost credit rules.

Fintech regulation and FCA authorisation

How to navigate FCA regulation for fintech businesses. Covers e-money and payment services, Open Banking, crypto-assets, and innovation support programmes including the Regulatory Sandbox.

MHRA authorisation for medicines and medical devices

How to obtain MHRA authorisation for medicines and medical devices in the UK. Covers Marketing Authorisations, wholesale dealer licences, manufacturer licences, and medical device registration including UKCA vs CE marking.

Understanding UK consumer credit regulation

What consumer credit regulation is, why it exists, and who it applies to. Covers the relationship between the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and the FCA's CONC sourcebook, including when FCA authorisation is required and when exemptions apply.

Running a crowdfunding or P2P lending platform

How to get FCA authorisation to operate a loan-based (P2P) or investment-based crowdfunding platform. Covers capital requirements, investor restrictions, client money rules, and wind-down arrangements.

Run a compliant architecture or engineering practice

Whether you are an architectural practice, an engineering or design consultancy or a testing laboratory, the same core duties apply: protect the personal data you hold, do not discriminate, insure your employees, manage health and safety, and carry professional indemnity cover. Put these in place before you take on staff, clients or projects.

Meet FCA threshold conditions for authorisation

Understand and demonstrate compliance with the five statutory threshold conditions required for FCA authorisation under Schedule 6 of FSMA 2000. Covers location of offices, effective supervision, appropriate resources, suitability, and business model requirements.

Start an insurance broking business

How to set up an insurance broking business in the UK. Covers FCA authorisation versus Appointed Representative routes, capital requirements, professional indemnity insurance, and regulatory fees.

Apply for broadcasting licence (TV and radio)

How to obtain Ofcom broadcasting licences for television and radio services in the UK - including TLCS for TV channels, community radio, and commercial radio licensing.

Comply with credit advertising rules

How to advertise consumer credit products compliantly under FCA rules. Covers representative APR requirements, triggered information, social media advertising, risk warnings for high-cost credit, and the FCA financial promotions approval process.

FCA Consumer Duty: compliance requirements

How to implement the FCA Consumer Duty in your firm. Covers the four outcomes (products/services, price/value, consumer understanding, consumer support), cross-cutting rules, governance requirements, and practical implementation steps for delivering good outcomes to retail customers.

FCA authorisation for insurance brokers

How to get FCA authorisation as an insurance intermediary. Covers Insurance Distribution Directive requirements, permission types, professional indemnity insurance, capital requirements, and Appointed Representative arrangements.

Access the Lloyd's of London insurance market

How to participate in the Lloyd's insurance market. Covers routes to market (managing agents, coverholders, brokers), capital requirements under Solvency UK, and FCA conduct rules including general insurance pricing practices.

Comply with credit broking rules

How to comply with FCA credit broking requirements. Covers who counts as a credit broker, the difference between full and limited permission, exemptions that may apply, initial disclosure obligations, fee transparency, and commission disclosure rules.

Buy Now Pay Later regulation: what businesses need to know

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and other Deferred Payment Credit products come under FCA regulation from 15 July 2026. This guide explains what is changing, who needs to act, how the temporary permissions regime works, and the key compliance requirements for providers and merchants.

Comply with Buy Now Pay Later regulation

How Buy Now Pay Later and Deferred Payment Credit providers must comply with FCA regulation from 15 July 2026, including authorisation, temporary permissions and the treatment of earlier agreements.

Register a money service business or crypto-asset business for AML supervision

How a money service business registers with HMRC, and how a cryptoasset business registers with the FCA, for anti-money laundering supervision under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. Covers which regime applies to you, the fit-and-proper test, registering before you trade, the offence of operating unregistered, and the financial promotions rules for qualifying cryptoassets.

Defence Security Clearances

Understand SC and DV security clearance requirements for defence contractors.

Consumer credit compliance checklist

Annual compliance checklist for consumer credit firms covering FCA permissions, CONC requirements, advertising, pre-contract obligations, Consumer Duty, complaints handling, and regulatory reporting.

Use FCA innovation services to test and launch fintech products

How to use the FCA's innovation support services including the Regulatory Sandbox, Digital Sandbox, and Innovation Pathways. For fintech firms developing new financial products who need regulatory guidance or want to test with customers before full authorisation.

Social enterprise structures

Compare legal structures for trading with social purpose - CICs, charities, co-operatives, and community benefit societies.

UK Export Controls for Defence Products

Navigate UK Strategic Export Control requirements for military and dual-use goods.

Become a MOD Supplier

How to register on MOD procurement portals, meet security and quality requirements, and bid for defence contracts.

ITAR Compliance for UK Companies

Comply with US ITAR regulations when handling US defence articles.

Trade sanctions and export restrictions

Understanding UK sanctions on 80+ countries, arms embargoes, and the criminal penalties for breaching restrictions.

Financial services regulation and FCA authorisation

Regulatory requirements for financial services businesses.

Run a technical testing or analysis laboratory

Testing, calibration, inspection and analysis is a distinct business from design. Running a laboratory is not itself licensed, but your work usually depends on UKAS accreditation, and some testing — notably asbestos sampling and clearance — is anchored to a statutory regime with its own competence and accreditation requirements.

Retail

Chemical manufacturer: compliance checklist

A verification checklist for makers of chemicals and chemical products (SIC division 20). Use it to confirm that UK REACH registration, GB CLP classification and labelling, product authorisation, COMAH duties, environmental permits, DSEAR controls, explosives licensing and core workplace health-and-safety duties are all in place before a production run.

Run a compliant retail business

Every retail business — from a market stall to an online store — shares the same compliance spine: consumer rights, accurate pricing, fair trading, data protection, equality, employers' liability insurance, fire and workplace safety, business rates and the waste duty of care. Put these in place first, then add the rules for what you sell.

Comply with Trading Standards and Consumer Rights

Your legal obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Consumer Contracts Regulations, and trading standards law. Covers goods, services, digital content, distance selling, pricing, product safety, and weights and measures requirements.

Place machinery and equipment on the market

Almost everything this sector makes must meet a product-conformity or type-approval regime before you can sell it. This guide takes you through the regimes that apply to machinery and equipment — machinery safety, electromagnetic compatibility, pressure equipment and simple pressure vessels, lifts, type approval for agricultural and forestry vehicles and non-road mobile machinery, general product safety, and food-contact materials for food-processing machinery. Use the sections that match what you make.

VAT for retail businesses

A complete guide to VAT for retailers, covering registration, pricing requirements, retail schemes, invoicing, gift vouchers, returns, loyalty schemes, and the second-hand goods margin scheme.

Avoid unfair trading practices

Your legal obligations to trade fairly with consumers. Covers prohibited misleading actions and omissions, aggressive commercial practices, and the 32 practices that are always unlawful. Includes the due diligence defence and consumer redress rights.

Place electronic and electrical products on the GB market: conformity assessment and UKCA marking

A guide for makers and importers of electronic and electrical products (SIC division 26) placing products on the GB market. It explains which conformity regimes apply to which products, the steps to assess conformity and apply the UKCA marking, and how the GB-scope safety regime differs from the UK-wide RoHS, WEEE, electromagnetic compatibility, radio and metrology regimes.

Specialist retail licences and registrations

Specialist licences required for specific retail activities including tobacco registration, fireworks sales, pet shops, scrap metal dealing, and market trading. For general retail compliance, see the Start a retail business journey.

Which chemical regulations apply to your products and site

A reference guide for chemical manufacturers (SIC division 20) that routes you to the regimes that apply to your products and your site. It points you to UK REACH and GB CLP for substances and mixtures, product authorisation for biocides, plant protection products and cosmetics, COMAH and environmental permitting for major-hazard sites, and the explosives licensing regime.

Running a package travel business

How to comply with ATOL licensing and Package Travel Regulations 2018 when selling package holidays. Covers ATOL application, ATOL Protection Contributions, consumer cancellation rights, and complaints handling.

Sector-specific product safety regulations

Quick reference for the main sector-specific product safety regulations in Great Britain. Covers toys, electrical equipment, cosmetics, furniture, personal protective equipment, and machinery, with the key requirements, marking obligations, and enforcement bodies for each regime.

Selling knives and bladed articles

A practical compliance guide for retailers selling knives, blades, and sharp-pointed articles. Covers age verification requirements, prohibited weapons, online sales rules, Scotland's exception for domestic cutlery, and how to build a due diligence defence.

Use a VAT retail scheme

How to calculate VAT using a retail scheme if you sell mainly to the public. Explains Point of Sale, Apportionment, and Direct Calculation schemes, including eligibility, choosing the right scheme, and record keeping requirements.

Pharmaceutical manufacturer: compliance checklist

A verification checklist for pharmaceutical manufacturers (SIC division 21). Use it to confirm that active-substance registration, the manufacturer's / importer's authorisation with a Qualified Person and GMP, any Home Office controlled-drug licence, the environmental permit for large-scale synthesis and the workplace health-and-safety duties are all in place before a production run.

Label and place textiles, clothing and footwear on the GB market

A task guide for makers of textiles, clothing and footwear (SIC divisions 13, 14 and 15) placing product on the GB market. It covers fibre and footwear composition labelling, nightwear flammability safety, conformity where the garment is personal protective equipment, and the general product safety baseline, with the placing-on-market sequence in order.

Textiles, clothing and leather manufacturer: compliance checklist

A verification checklist for makers of textiles, clothing and leather products (SIC divisions 13, 14 and 15). Use it to confirm that labelling, nightwear flammability, PPE conformity, general product safety, UK REACH restricted substances, CITES protected materials, environmental permits, trade effluent consent and animal by-products controls are all in place before a production run.

Consumer rights compliance for traders

Your legal obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when selling goods, services, or digital content to consumers. Covers statutory quality standards, the 30-day refund right, tiered remedies, and what you cannot exclude by contract.

Consumer rights quick reference for traders

A quick reference card for traders covering what consumers can claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Key timeframes, remedy tiers, helpline number rules, and pre-ticked box prohibition at a glance.

Electronics and electrical product conformity: which regime applies

A quick-lookup reference for makers and importers of electronic and electrical products (SIC divisions 26 and 27). Use the product features to find which conformity regime or regimes apply, the regulator, and whether the rule is a Great Britain or a UK-wide matter, then go to the linked snippet for the detail.

Place chemical substances and products on the GB market

A task guide for chemical manufacturers (SIC division 20) placing substances and products on the GB market. It covers UK REACH registration, GB CLP classification, labelling and packaging, and product authorisation for biocides, plant protection products and cosmetics, with the placing-on-market sequence in order.

Product safety compliance checklist for the GB market

Compliance checklist for businesses placing consumer products on the Great Britain market. Covers the general safety requirement, UKCA marking and documentation, traceability, supply chain roles, record keeping, and recall preparedness under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Consumer Protection Act 1987, and Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Run a retail pharmacy or optical business

Pharmacies and opticians are retail businesses regulated as healthcare providers. Pharmacy premises in Great Britain must be registered with the GPhC with a responsible pharmacist in charge whenever they are open. Optical businesses trading as opticians have General Optical Council duties. Ordinary retailers may sell only general-sale medicines in limited pack sizes.

Machinery and equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your machinery and equipment manufacturing business (SIC division 28) meets its obligations before you sell. Work through the universal workplace items every manufacturer shares, then the product-conformity and type-approval items for what you make. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Rubber and plastics manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your rubber and plastics manufacturing business (SIC division 22) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal workplace and chemicals items every manufacturer shares, then the sections for placing products on the market and for producing plastic packaging. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Annual retail compliance checklist

Quick annual compliance verification for established retailers. Covers consumer rights, pricing, age verification, data protection, Sunday trading, fire safety, worker safety, and environmental obligations.

Write consumer-friendly terms and conditions

How to write consumer contracts that are legally compliant and enforceable. Covers the transparency requirement under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, terms to avoid from the Schedule 2 grey list, pre-ticked box rules, and practical drafting guidance for small businesses.

Distance and off-premises selling requirements

Your legal obligations when selling to consumers online, by phone, by mail order, or at their home. Covers the 14-day cancellation right, pre-contract information requirements, refund obligations, and exemptions under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Place jewellery, toys, medical devices and other goods on the market

Each product in Division 32 carries its own conformity regime before it reaches the market. Most goods carry general product safety. Toys, personal protective equipment and medical devices have their own marking and registration rules. Articles of precious metal must be hallmarked. Work through the section that fits what you make.

Wood-products manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your wood-products business (SIC division 16) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal workplace items every manufacturer shares, then the sections for placing products on the market and for wood packaging. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Understanding UK product safety law

A strategic overview of UK product safety law for business owners and directors. Explains the three legislative pillars that govern product safety - the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, the Consumer Protection Act 1987, and the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 - and what they mean for your business.

UK Space Industry Licensing

Obtain licences for satellite operations, launches, and space activities.

Assess whether your product meets the general safety requirement

How to carry out a product safety risk assessment to determine whether your product meets the general safety requirement under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Covers the OPSS PRISM methodology, designated standards, documenting your assessment, and building a due diligence defence.

Basic metal manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your basic-metal manufacturing business (SIC division 24) meets its obligations before a production campaign. Work through the universal high-hazard items every producer shares — including the environmental, major-accident and, where it applies, nuclear gateways — then the section for placing products on the market. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Furniture manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your furniture manufacturing business (SIC division 31) meets its obligations before you sell. Work through the universal workplace items every manufacturer shares, then the furniture fire-safety and product-safety items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Other manufacturing: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your business in Division 32 (other manufacturing) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal workshop items every maker shares, then the product-conformity section for what you make. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Tobacco manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your tobacco manufacturing business (SIC division 12) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal workplace and employment items every manufacturer shares, then the tobacco-specific product, duty and track-and-trace items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Fabricated metal manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your fabricated metal manufacturing business (SIC division 25) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal items every fabricator shares, then the sections for placing products on the market and for firearms, ammunition and explosives. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Place fabricated metal products on the market: conformity and UKCA marking

If you make metal products to sell — structural steelwork, boilers and pressure vessels, or general metal goods — they must be safe and, where a product regime applies, carry conformity marking before you place them on the Great Britain market. This guide takes you through construction products and structural steel, pressure equipment, and the residual general product safety duty.

AI product safety: how product liability law applies to AI

How existing UK product safety law applies to AI products and AI components embedded in physical goods. Explains the Consumer Protection Act 1987 strict liability framework, how the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 extends safety duties to AI as an intangible component, enforcement bodies, and how UK rules compare with the EU's updated product liability regime.

Place rubber and plastic products on the market: conformity and product safety

If you make rubber or plastic products to sell — plastic builders' ware, tyres, food-contact articles and packaging, or general plastic goods — they must be safe and, where a product regime applies, meet that regime and carry conformity marking before you place them on the market. This guide takes you through construction products, tyre safety, food-contact materials, and the residual general product safety duty.

General product safety requirements

Understand your legal obligations under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 when placing consumer products on the GB market. Covers producer and distributor duties, traceability requirements, and enforcement.

How to manage a product recall

Step-by-step guidance for manufacturers, importers, and distributors on managing a product recall when a consumer product is found to be unsafe. Covers notification obligations, working with Trading Standards and OPSS, and consumer communication.

Place wood and wood products on the market

Before wood and wood products reach the market they carry their own rules: legal sourcing under the UK Timber Regulation, performance marking for construction products like structural timber and panels, formaldehyde limits on wood-based panels, general product safety for consumer goods, and heat treatment and marking for solid-wood packaging that travels abroad. This guide takes you through each in turn.

Prepare for CMA enforcement action

What to expect if the Competition and Markets Authority or Trading Standards investigates your business for consumer protection breaches. Covers the investigation process, new direct fining powers from April 2025, undertakings, enhanced consumer measures, and how to respond effectively.

Which medicines manufacturing authorisation applies

A reference router for pharmaceutical manufacturers (SIC division 21). Use it to work out which authorisation regime applies to what you make: active-substance registration for active pharmaceutical ingredients, a manufacturer's / importer's authorisation with a Qualified Person and GMP for finished medicines, and an additional Home Office licence if you make or handle controlled drugs.

Handle consumer complaints about faulty goods

Step-by-step guidance for frontline and customer service staff handling faulty goods complaints under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Covers the 30-day right to reject, when to offer repair or replacement, and the final right to reject - with common staff mistakes to avoid.

Retail sector market overview

UK retail market statistics, ecommerce growth trends, and investment opportunities for retailers operating in Great Britain.

Ensure product safety compliance for retailers

Product safety compliance checklist for retailers. Covers supplier vetting, safety marking verification, recall procedures, OPSS reporting, and preparation for the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Online marketplace product safety duties

What online marketplace operators need to do to comply with product safety law. Covers new duties under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, existing obligations under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, and practical steps to prepare for compliance before secondary legislation is made.

Meet your tobacco product, duty and track-and-trace obligations

Tobacco products carry their own tightly controlled regime on top of the factory duties. This guide takes you through the product standards and ingredient reporting under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, standardised ("plain") packaging, the residual general product safety baseline, excise duty and HMRC manufacturer approval, and the track-and-trace system for the supply chain.

UKCA and CE marking for medical devices

How to choose between UKCA and CE marking for your medical device on the GB market. Covers UKCA marking via UK Approved Bodies, CE marking transitional acceptance (2028/2030 deadlines), the MHRA consultation on indefinite CE recognition, dual marking for GB and NI access, and NI-specific requirements.

Wholesale compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for wholesale businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every wholesaler shares, then the section for what you trade — controlled and excise goods, general merchandise, food and agricultural goods, or waste, scrap and fuel. You may need more than one section.

E-commerce legal compliance checklist

Quick reference checklist for online retailers to audit their e-commerce legal setup against the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Equality and accessibility for retail businesses

Understand your obligations under the Equality Act 2010 as a retail service provider. Covers protected characteristics, reasonable adjustments for physical stores and websites, lawful service refusal, and enforcement.

Importer responsibilities for the GB market

Legal responsibilities for importers placing products on the Great Britain market. Covers verifying manufacturer compliance, labelling obligations, storage and transport duties, responding to unsafe products, and the role of authorised representatives.

Place basic metal products on the GB market: conformity and marking

If you place metal products on the market — structural steel and reinforcing steel for construction, or other finished metal goods — they must be safe and, where a product regime applies, carry conformity marking and a declaration of performance before you place them on the Great Britain market. This guide takes you through construction products and structural steel, and the residual general product safety duty.

Place non-metallic mineral products on the market

Cement, aggregates, concrete products, glass and ceramic building products are construction products and must meet the conformity rules before you sell them; other goods must still meet the general product safety duty. This guide takes you through construction-products conformity — declaration of performance and marking — and the residual product-safety baseline.

Product safety penalties and enforcement

Quick reference for product safety penalties, enforcement powers, and sanctions under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, Consumer Protection Act 1987, and Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025.

Electrical product safety compliance

How to comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 when placing electrical products on the Great Britain market. Covers safety objectives, voltage scope, conformity assessment, technical documentation, UKCA and CE marking, EMC Regulations overlap, and RoHS requirements for electrical and electronic equipment.

Medical devices: placing on the GB market

How to comply with the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002 when placing medical devices on the Great Britain market. Covers device classification, UKCA marking transition timelines, MHRA registration, essential requirements, clinical evidence, conformity assessment by device class, post-market surveillance, and Unique Device Identification.

Product safety and labelling requirements

General Product Safety Regulations 2005, UKCA marking, weights and measures compliance, and labelling obligations for retailers selling in Great Britain.

Avoid selling counterfeit goods

Protect your business from counterfeit goods liability. Covers supplier due diligence, trade mark verification, Trading Standards seizure powers, penalties, and online marketplace duties.

Choose the right conformity assessment route

How to determine the correct conformity assessment route for your product before placing it on the Great Britain market. Covers self-declaration versus third-party assessment, conformity assessment modules, UK Approved Bodies, technical documentation, and Northern Ireland differences.

Get authorised to manufacture medicines: MHRA licensing, active-substance registration and GMP

A task guide for pharmaceutical manufacturers (SIC division 21) on getting the right MHRA authorisation in place before they operate. It covers active-substance registration for makers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and the manufacturer's / importer's authorisation with a Qualified Person and Good Manufacturing Practice for makers of finished medicines, in the order you need them.

Product standards and CE marking for the Northern Ireland market

How product standards and marking requirements differ for the Northern Ireland market under the Windsor Framework. Covers CE marking requirements, why UKCA marking is not valid in NI, the EU General Product Safety Regulation applying in NI from December 2024, and dual compliance obligations for businesses selling across the whole UK.

UKCA Product Marking

Understand UKCA marking requirements for products sold in Great Britain.

Consumer rights compliance for service providers

How to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when providing services to consumers. Covers the reasonable care and skill standard, how your words become contractual terms, pricing, timescales, the repeat performance and price reduction remedies, and the contract terms you cannot lawfully exclude.

Wholesale distributor product-safety duties

As a distributor — rather than the manufacturer — your product-safety duties are lighter but real: act with due care so the goods you supply are safe, verify conformity marking and documentation, keep records to trace supply, and act on unsafe products. Specific product categories (chemicals, electrical goods, machinery, construction products, textiles, furniture, precious metals) add their own checks.

Age-Restricted Products

Understand legal requirements for selling age-restricted products including alcohol, tobacco, and knives.

Meet the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules

Upholstered furniture and mattresses must meet strict fire-safety requirements before you can sell them, and all furniture must meet general product safety. This guide takes you through the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 — the ignition-resistance tests and the labelling — and the residual general product safety duty.

Avoiding unfair terms in consumer contracts

Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 controls which terms in consumer contracts are enforceable. Many traders unwittingly use terms that a court or the CMA would find unfair - and those terms are void even if the consumer signed them.

Place paper products on the market

Before paper products reach the market they carry their own rules. Consumer goods must be safe under general product safety. Cartons, wrap and other food-contact paper and board must meet the food-contact materials rules. The packaging you place on the market brings extended producer responsibility duties. This guide takes you through each in turn.

Toy safety compliance in Great Britain

How to comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 when placing toys on the Great Britain market. Covers essential safety requirements, age grading and warnings, chemical limits, conformity assessment routes, UKCA and CE marking, documentation obligations, and economic operator duties.

When CE marking is still accepted in Great Britain

Reference guide explaining when CE marking remains valid for the Great Britain market following the December 2024 policy changes. Covers the 21 product categories with indefinite recognition, products with separate rules, and Northern Ireland requirements.

Packaging Producer Responsibility

Register for EPR, report packaging data, and meet recycling obligations through PRN/PERN purchases or compliance schemes.

Consumer Rights and Returns

Understand consumer rights for returns, refunds, and replacements under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Distance Selling and E-Commerce

Comply with Consumer Contracts Regulations for online, phone, and mail order sales.

Post-market surveillance for medical devices

How to establish and maintain a post-market surveillance system for medical devices on the GB market under the enhanced requirements in force from 16 June 2025. Covers PMS plans, proactive data collection, trend analysis, summary reporting, Field Safety Corrective Actions, and data retention periods.

Report a medical device safety incident to MHRA

Step-by-step guide to reporting serious medical device incidents to MHRA via the MORE portal. Covers incident identification, timeline classification (2, 10, or 15 calendar days), MIR form submission, follow-up investigation, CAPA, and Field Safety Corrective Actions.

Restricted and protected materials: UK REACH and CITES for textiles and leather

A reference for makers of textiles, clothing and leather products (SIC divisions 13, 14 and 15) on the two materials-control regimes. It covers UK REACH restrictions on substances in dyes, finishes, leather tanning and inks, and CITES controls on materials from endangered species such as exotic leather, fur, feathers and shell.

Classify your medical device for the GB market

How to classify your medical device under the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002. Covers Class I through III for general devices, active implantable devices, IVDs (current Annex system and future Class A-D), and Software as a Medical Device.

Sunday Trading Rules

Understand Sunday trading hours restrictions and exemptions in England and Wales.

Price Marking for Retailers

Comply with price display requirements under the Price Marking Order 2004.

Placing medical devices on the Northern Ireland market

How to comply with the Northern Ireland medical device regime under the Windsor Framework. Covers EU MDR/IVDR requirements, CE marking, UKNI marking via UK Approved Bodies, EU Authorised Representative, and dual compliance for manufacturers selling in both GB and NI.

Sell vehicle parts and accessories

Supplying vehicle parts and accessories — as a motor factor, wholesaler or retailer — brings product-safety duties for safety-critical components and producer-responsibility duties to take back waste batteries and electrical items. You must not place non-compliant or counterfeit safety parts on the market.

Software and AI as medical devices (SaMD/AIaMD)

How MHRA regulates software and AI-powered medical devices. Covers the SaMD definition and boundary guidance, current classification under UK MDR 2002, future reclassification to Class IIa minimum, Good Machine Learning Practice principles, predetermined change control plans, and clinical evidence for AI.

Software and video-game publishing rules

If you publish software or video games, the standout duty is age rating: video games that are not exempt must carry a statutory age rating before supply, and supplying an unrated game is a criminal offence. You also need to protect and license your software copyright, and — if your game has chat or user-generated content — consider your Online Safety Act duties.

Avoid unfair trading practices in retail

Understand unfair trading rules under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (which replaced the CPRs 2008 from 6 April 2025). Covers misleading actions, omissions, aggressive practices, the 32 banned commercial practices, and new CMA enforcement powers.

Medical device compliance checklist

Verification checklist for medical device manufacturers and UK Responsible Persons. Covers device classification, conformity assessment, technical documentation, UKCA/CE marking, MHRA registration, PMS system, vigilance reporting, labelling, and ongoing obligations.

Meet motor fuel quality and hydrocarbon oil duty

The fuels you make carry two duties beyond running a safe installation: they must meet the motor fuel quality standards for what can be supplied, and the mineral oils you produce are subject to hydrocarbon oil (excise) duty, with HMRC approval and accounting. This guide takes you through both.

Which retail rules apply to your business

"Retail" covers very different businesses — a clothes shop, a convenience store selling alcohol and tobacco, a petrol forecourt, a pharmacy, a firearms dealer, a market stall, an online store. Each has its own regulators and rules, on top of the consumer-law duties every retailer shares. Work out which description fits you and follow the right guidance.

Which wholesale rules apply to your business

Wholesalers sell goods on to other businesses rather than to consumers, and what you must do depends on what you trade. Controlled and excise goods (alcohol, tobacco, medicines) need a wholesale authorisation. General merchandise carries product-safety distributor duties. Food, animal and plant goods have their own registration and traceability rules. Waste, scrap and fuel are separately regulated. Work out which of these you handle and follow the right guide.

Handle customer complaints and disputes

Set up an effective complaint handling process and understand your obligations around Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Since 6 April 2026 you must tell a complaining consumer what ADR is available, and ADR providers must be accredited.

Packaging Design Requirements

Meet essential requirements and labelling standards for packaging.

Subscription and auto-renewal compliance

Understand the new DMCC Act 2024 rules on subscription contracts. Covers pre-contract information, renewal reminders, easy cancellation requirements, and cooling-off periods on auto-renewal.

Biocides and Pesticides Authorisation

Get HSE CRD authorisation for biocidal and pesticidal products.

CLP Chemical Classification and Labelling

Classify, label and package hazardous chemicals under GB CLP.

Choosing a UK Approved Body for medical devices

How to select and engage a UK Approved Body for conformity assessment of your medical device. Covers the 9 designated bodies and their scope, when an Approved Body is required, the assessment process by device class, and when self-certification is permitted.

Packaging and labeling for export markets

Country-specific packaging and labeling requirements - UK standards don't automatically apply overseas.

Transport

Get an operator's licence for goods vehicles

How to apply for an O-licence to operate goods vehicles for business. Covers Standard and Restricted licences, fees, financial standing, transport manager and operating centre requirements, the application process, and what the Traffic Commissioner can do if you fall short.

Run an MOT Testing Station

Maintain DVSA compliance, manage testers, handle inspections, and avoid disciplinary action as an MOT Authorised Examiner.

Run passenger or freight services on inland and categorised waters

If you run trip boats, passenger launches, ferries or freight barges on canals, rivers, estuaries and harbours, you need a licence from the relevant navigation authority and a Boat Safety Scheme certificate, your vessel must meet the inland-waterway technical standards, passenger services need a domestic safety-management or categorised-waters passenger certificate, and the person in charge needs a boatmaster's licence. This guide covers the inland and categorised-waters regime, on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Crewing and seafarer certification

If you crew a ship and employ seafarers, your masters, officers and ratings must hold MCA certificates of competency to the STCW standard and a valid ENG1 medical fitness certificate, your ship must meet its safe-manning document, radio operators need GMDSS certification, and you must meet the seafarer-employment standards of the Maritime Labour Convention. This guide covers the crewing and certification regime, on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Run a bus or coach business: licensing and compliance

If you run local bus services, scheduled routes or coach and charter operations, you need a public service vehicle (PSV) operator licence from the Traffic Commissioner, your drivers need the Driver CPC, your vehicles must meet accessibility standards, and local bus services must be registered. This guide covers the regimes specific to passenger road transport, on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Goods Vehicle Operator Compliance Checklist

A yes/no audit checklist covering all key goods vehicle operator obligations including O-licence conditions, vehicle maintenance, drivers, tachographs, and load compliance.

Vehicle Dealer Regulation

Understand FCA authorisation, consumer rights, and trading standards for motor dealers.

International Road Haulage Permits and Cabotage

How to comply with post-Brexit international haulage rules including TCA permit-free access, ECMT permits for non-EU countries, cabotage and cross-trade limits, and the documentation you must carry on every international journey.

Run a rail operation: licensing and safety

If you operate passenger or freight trains, or use the rail network, you need a licence and safety certificate or authorisation from the Office of Rail and Road, an approved track access agreement, and — if you carry dangerous goods — RID compliance. This guide covers the rail-specific regimes on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Vehicle Maintenance and MOT

Understand vehicle maintenance standards and MOT requirements for goods vehicles.

Tachographs and Drivers' Hours

Understand tachograph requirements and drivers' hours rules for goods vehicle operations.

Driver CPC Requirements

Understand Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requirements for HGV and bus drivers, including the National and International Driver CPC types introduced in December 2024.

Freight forwarding and customs: representation, warehousing and dangerous goods

If you forward freight, clear goods through customs on behalf of others, or run a bonded warehouse, you may act as a customs representative, hold customs warehousing authorisation from HMRC, and — if you move dangerous goods — appoint a dangerous goods safety adviser. This guide covers the customs and dangerous-goods regimes specific to freight forwarding, on top of the universal warehouse duties in the spine guide.

Avoid overloading and secure your loads

How to comply with load security requirements and avoid overloading offences. Covers the DVSA code of practice, maximum weight limits, shared duty between operator, driver, and loader, and penalties for non-compliance.

EV Charging Infrastructure

Install EV chargepoints and access government grants.

Operate a pipeline: safety and environmental duties

If you transport products by pipeline, you must notify the HSE before construction, run a written safety management system, and — if you handle hazardous substances above the thresholds — meet the COMAH major-accident regime. Discharges and emissions from pipeline operations also need an environmental permit. This guide covers the pipeline-specific regimes on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Smart tachograph requirements and transition

Smart tachograph v2 requirements, the transition from analogue and digital units, retrofit deadlines for international and domestic vehicles, and how UK requirements have diverged from EU rules since Brexit.

Run a taxi or private hire business: licensing and compliance

If you run a taxi (hackney carriage) or private hire (minicab) business, your vehicles, drivers and — for private hire — your booking operation must be licensed by the local council, which sets its own conditions, fees and vehicle standards. Drivers need an enhanced DBS check and must pass a fit and proper person test. This guide covers the taxi and private hire regime on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide.

Transporting Dangerous Goods (ADR)

Comply with ADR regulations for transporting dangerous goods by road.

Vehicle Type Approval

Get type approval for vehicles manufactured or imported into GB.

Facing a Traffic Commissioner Public Inquiry

What triggers a Traffic Commissioner public inquiry, how to prepare your case, whether you need legal representation, what outcomes to expect, and how to give yourself the best chance of keeping your operator licence.

Set Up an MOT Testing Station

Become a DVSA Authorised Examiner to conduct MOT tests.

Vehicle excise duty and HGV Levy for goods vehicles

Current VED rates for heavy goods vehicles by weight band and axle configuration, and the status of the HGV Road User Levy.

Clean Air Zones and emission requirements for goods vehicles

How Clean Air Zones affect goods vehicle operators. Covers the CAZ classification framework, current zones and charges by vehicle type, Euro emission standards, London LEZ/ULEZ/Congestion Charge, and options for managing compliance costs.

Compliance for van and light goods vehicle operators

What applies when operating vans and light goods vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. Vans do not need an operator licence but must meet motor insurance, MOT, road tax, Clean Air Zone, driving licence, and loading requirements under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

DVSA Enforcement and Your Operator Compliance Risk Score

Understand how DVSA uses the Operator Compliance Risk Score to target enforcement, what Green, Amber and Red ratings mean for your business, and practical steps to improve your score through better compliance.

Insurance for goods vehicle operators

What insurance goods vehicle operators need. Covers mandatory motor fleet insurance under the Road Traffic Act 1988, goods in transit cover, CMR liability for international carriage, and when to move from individual policies to a fleet policy.

Which land transport rules apply to your business

Land transport covers very different businesses — road haulage, bus and coach, taxi and private hire, rail, and pipelines — each with its own regulator and licensing regime, on top of the workplace duties they all share. Work out which description fits your business and follow the right guide.

Which warehousing and transport support rules apply to your business

Division 52 covers two related kinds of business — storing goods (warehousing, cold storage, fulfilment) and the support activities that keep transport moving (freight forwarding and customs, cargo handling at ports, airports and rail terminals). Each has its own regulator and regime, on top of the workplace duties they all share. Work out which description fits your business and follow the right guide.

Which water transport rules apply to your business

Water transport spans very different businesses — sea-going passenger and cargo ships, canal and river trip boats and ferries on inland and categorised waters, and the freight that moves on them — each with its own certification regime, on top of the workplace duties they all share. Work out which description fits your business and follow the right guide.

Land transport compliance checklist

A checklist for land transport businesses — road haulage, bus and coach, taxi and private hire, rail, and pipelines. Section 1 applies to every operator; the remaining sections are conditional — work through only the one(s) that match your operation.

Warehousing and transport support compliance checklist

A checklist for warehousing and transport-support businesses — storage and cold stores, freight forwarding and customs, and cargo handling at ports, airports and rail. Section 1 applies to every operator; the remaining sections are conditional — work through only the one(s) that match your operation.

Water transport compliance checklist

A checklist for water transport businesses — sea-going passenger and cargo ships, crewing and seafarer certification, and inland and categorised-waters vessels. Section 1 applies to every operator; the remaining sections are conditional — work through only the one(s) that match your operation.

Maritime & Ports

Register and operate a sea-going ship

If you operate sea-going passenger or cargo ships on coastal or international voyages, you must register the ship on the UK Ship Register, have it surveyed and certified by the MCA, operate a safety management system under the ISM Code, mark a load line, and meet the dangerous-goods, security and environmental regimes. This guide covers the regimes specific to sea-going ships, on top of the universal workplace duties in the spine guide. Crewing and seafarer certification are covered separately.

Support activities for transport: ports, airports and rail

If you handle cargo or run support services at a port, airport or rail terminal — stevedoring, ground handling, terminal operations — the duties depend on the mode you support. Harbour authority duties and port security apply at ports, aviation security and economic regulation at airports, and the rail safety regime at rail terminals and stations. This guide covers the mode-support regimes, on top of the universal warehouse duties in the spine guide. Answer only the section for the mode(s) you support.

Meet your sea fishing vessel duties

If you operate a sea fishing vessel commercially, you must hold a fishing vessel licence, register the vessel and meet MCA safety requirements, and — if you buy or sell first-sale fish in England — register with the MMO. This guide covers all three duties.

Marine Licence

Activities in the marine environment (below Mean High Water Springs) require a Marine Licence from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in England.

Rail

Which approval regime applies to your transport equipment

An orientation guide for makers of transport equipment (SIC divisions 29 and 30). It routes you to the right conformity or approval regime by product type and mode of transport — road vehicles, motorcycles, recreational craft, ships, railway vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft and pedal bicycles — and names the regulator that runs each one.

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Social care registration and regulators

Guide to registering as a social care provider across all four UK nations. Covers CQC registration in England, Care Inspectorate in Scotland, CIW in Wales, and RQIA in Northern Ireland — including fees, registered manager requirements, and inspection frameworks.

Register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Complete step-by-step guide to CQC registration for healthcare providers in England, including what activities require registration, annual fees, fit and proper person requirements, and the full registration process.

Healthcare professional registration requirements

Registration requirements with GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC, and HCPC for healthcare employers and professionals.

Healthcare and social care regulation (CQC)

CQC registration requirements for health and social care providers in England, including detailed guidance on regulated activities, costs, and devolved nation alternatives.

Operating care services across UK nations: cross-border registration and compliance

Comprehensive guide for care providers operating in more than one UK nation. Covers separate registration requirements with each devolved inspectorate, workforce portability, disclosure and barring schemes, quality framework differences, and the practical implications of no mutual recognition between CQC, Care Inspectorate Scotland, CIW, and RQIA.

Run a care home or other residential care service

Residential care is one of the most closely regulated activities in the UK. Adult care and nursing homes and domiciliary care register with the CQC in England; children's homes register with Ofsted. On top of registration sit the registered manager, enhanced DBS checks for every member of care staff, mental capacity and deprivation-of-liberty safeguards, adult safeguarding duties and fire safety designed around residents who cannot self-evacuate.

Start and Register a Childcare Business

Complete guide to registering and launching a childcare business in England, from Ofsted registration to EYFS compliance. Covers nurseries, preschools, and childminders.

Healthcare premises and equipment requirements

CQC Regulation 15 premises and equipment requirements, radiation protection under IRR 2017, healthcare ventilation, medical gas systems, decontamination of reusable devices, accessibility obligations, and fire safety for healthcare premises.

MHRA licensing for medicines and medical devices

MHRA licensing requirements for manufacturing, distributing, and importing medicines and medical devices in the UK.

Register as a Childminder in England

Complete guide to becoming a registered childminder, from pre-registration training and DBS checks to Ofsted registration and setting up your self-employed childminding business.

Infection prevention and control for healthcare providers

How to meet infection prevention and control (IPC) requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice (Hygiene Code). Covers standard precautions, environmental cleaning, outbreak management, antimicrobial stewardship, and CQC inspection expectations.

Healthcare regulation across the UK nations

Comparison reference for healthcare regulation in England (CQC), Scotland (HIS and Care Inspectorate), Wales (HIW and CIW), and Northern Ireland (RQIA). Covers registration, inspection frameworks, workforce registration, and key differences between the four nations.

Comply with the EYFS Statutory Framework

How to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework in your childcare setting. Covers safeguarding, staff ratios, qualifications, learning areas, assessment, and Ofsted inspection preparation.

Healthcare provider annual compliance checklist

Annual checklist of recurring compliance obligations for CQC-registered healthcare providers covering registration, workforce, clinical governance, premises, data protection, and policy reviews.

Clinical governance and quality improvement

Clinical governance framework for healthcare providers covering patient safety culture, clinical audit, incident investigation, duty of candour, complaints handling, and continuous quality improvement. Links governance activities to the CQC Well-led domain and explains why effective governance protects both patients and your organisation.

Set up and run a regulated health practice

Opening a GP surgery, dental practice, clinic, pharmacy or optical practice means clearing two gateways — registering the service with the CQC (in England) and ensuring every clinician holds their professional registration — then running the practice within the rules on medicines and controlled drugs, infection control, premises and health data.

Nannies and Au Pairs: Regulations and Employment

Legal requirements, Ofsted registration rules, and employment obligations for nannies and au pairs. Covers when registration is required, voluntary registration benefits, DBS checks, and visa requirements.

Register Holiday Clubs and Out-of-School Care

Ofsted registration requirements for holiday clubs, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and wraparound care. Covers when registration is required, exemptions, and compliance obligations.

Run an accountancy, audit or insolvency practice

General accountancy and bookkeeping are not reserved activities — but statutory audit needs registration with a Recognised Supervisory Body overseen by the FRC, insolvency appointments need individual authorisation by a Recognised Professional Body, every accountancy and tax firm needs an anti-money-laundering supervisor, and tax advisers who deal with HMRC must now register with HMRC.

Medicines and controlled drugs compliance

Legal requirements for handling, storing and administering medicines including controlled drugs in healthcare settings.

Safeguarding and Child Protection for Childcare Providers

Creating and implementing safeguarding policies for childcare settings. Covers the designated safeguarding lead role, recognising abuse, reporting procedures, Prevent duty, and staff training requirements.

Run a barristers' practice or IP attorney firm

Barristers in England and Wales practise under a Bar Standards Board practising certificate, with separate extensions for conducting litigation and public access work. Patent and trade mark attorneys register with IPReg — the protected titles and the reserved legal activities flow from registration, although anyone may act before the Intellectual Property Office itself.

Understanding care regulation in Wales: CIW and RISCA 2016

How Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) regulates care services under RISCA 2016, the Responsible Individual model, Welsh Language Standards obligations, and how the Welsh framework differs from CQC in England and Care Inspectorate in Scotland.

Understanding the Care Inspectorate Scotland

Comprehensive explainer of how the Care Inspectorate Scotland operates, its regulatory model under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, how it differs from CQC in England, the Health and Social Care Standards, and its relationship with the SSSC and Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

CIW inspection preparation checklist

Verification checklist for CIW inspection readiness. Covers Statement of Purpose, Responsible Individual duties, staff qualifications and Social Care Wales registration, care documentation, Welsh language provision, premises and environment, and safeguarding arrangements.

Register a health or social care service with RQIA

Step-by-step guide to registering a health or social care service with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) in Northern Ireland. Covers application requirements, fit person criteria, premises standards, registration conditions, fees, and expected timescales.

Register with the Care Inspectorate Scotland

Step-by-step guide to registering a care service with the Care Inspectorate Scotland under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, including application requirements, fitness assessments, premises standards, fees, and expected timescales.

Devolved care inspectorates: quick comparison reference

Quick-lookup reference comparing the three devolved care inspectorates: Care Inspectorate (Scotland), CIW (Wales), and RQIA (Northern Ireland). Covers registration, fees, grading systems, quality frameworks, enforcement powers, workforce bodies, and disclosure schemes.

Support Children with SEND in Early Years Settings

Legal requirements and practical guidance for identifying and supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in early years settings. Covers SENCO duties, graduated approach, and inclusion funding.

Premises and Fire Safety for Childcare Settings

Premises requirements and fire safety for childcare providers including EYFS space standards, fire risk assessment, fire drills, evacuation procedures, and daily safety checks.

Register a care service with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)

Step-by-step guide to registering a regulated care service with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016. Covers application requirements, Responsible Individual appointment, service manager fitness, premises standards, fees, and expected timescales.

Safer Recruitment for Childcare Settings

Step-by-step safer recruitment for childcare providers including DBS enhanced checks, disqualification declarations, reference checking, interview techniques, and maintaining staff suitability records.

Medical devices and equipment compliance

Regulatory requirements for medical devices including vigilance reporting and equipment maintenance.

Meet RISCA 2016 compliance requirements for care services in Wales

How to meet the ongoing compliance requirements under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 and the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, including Statement of Purpose, governance, staffing, service user engagement, and complaints handling.

Prepare for an RQIA inspection

Inspection readiness checklist for RQIA-registered services in Northern Ireland. Covers documentation, staffing records, care plans, premises environment, complaints handling, safeguarding, and what to expect on inspection day.

Childcare Funding Entitlements: A Guide for Providers

How government childcare funding works for providers, covering the universal and targeted 15-hour entitlements, the 30-hour working-parent entitlement from 9 months, Tax-Free Childcare, provider agreements with local authorities, and claiming processes.

Respond to CIW enforcement action in Wales

What to do when Care Inspectorate Wales imposes conditions, issues improvement notices or restriction notices, or initiates cancellation of registration. Covers your rights, appeal routes via the First-tier Tribunal, and how to respond effectively to protect your service.

SSSC workforce registration for care providers in Scotland

How to ensure your care staff register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), including registration categories, qualification requirements, timescales, fitness to practise, PVG scheme membership, and employer obligations.

Care Inspectorate Scotland inspection preparation checklist

Checklist for Care Inspectorate inspection readiness covering documentation, staff training records, care plans, Health and Social Care Standards evidence, premises, environment, and safeguarding arrangements.

Understanding RQIA: healthcare and social care regulation in Northern Ireland

How healthcare and social care regulation works in Northern Ireland under the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). Explains the integrated HSC system, how RQIA differs from CQC, Minimum Care Standards, inspection methodology, and RQIA's current statutory role.

Record-Keeping and Data Protection for Childcare Providers

Mandatory record-keeping requirements for childcare providers under EYFS, data protection obligations under UK GDPR, and how to handle complaints and significant events.

Which health and care rules apply to your business

Health and care businesses are regulated twice over: the service registers with a care regulator (CQC in England, with separate regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — and Ofsted for children's social care), and the professionals who deliver it register with their own statutory regulator (GMC, NMC, GDC, GPhC, GOC or HCPC). Find your provider type below, then follow the route that matches.

Which legal and accounting rules apply to your business

Legal and accountancy practices are regulated by profession, not premises. Solicitors answer to the SRA, barristers to the Bar Standards Board, patent and trade mark attorneys to IPReg, statutory auditors to a Recognised Supervisory Body overseen by the FRC, and insolvency practitioners to a Recognised Professional Body. Almost every firm in this sector also needs anti-money-laundering supervision, and all share the same office workplace duties.

Respond to RQIA enforcement action

What to do if RQIA takes enforcement action against your health or social care service in Northern Ireland. Covers failure to comply notices, conditions on registration, urgent procedures, cancellation proceedings, appeal rights, and how to seek legal representation.

Prepare for an Ofsted Inspection

How to prepare for an Ofsted inspection of your childcare setting. Covers what inspectors look for under Ofsted's renewed inspection framework, self-evaluation, evidence gathering, and how to handle the inspection day.

Insurance for Childcare Businesses

Insurance requirements and options for childcare providers including public liability, employer's liability, professional indemnity, and vehicle insurance for outings.

AI medical device compliance

MHRA requirements for AI as a Medical Device (AIaMD) and Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). Covers classification, registration, technical documentation, quality management, post-market surveillance, and data protection for health AI.

Meet RQIA Minimum Care Standards

How to meet the Minimum Care Standards that RQIA uses to assess your health or social care service in Northern Ireland. Covers identifying your applicable standards, self-assessment, gathering evidence, and addressing common shortfalls.

Childcare Ofsted Compliance Checklist

Comprehensive compliance checklist for Ofsted-registered childcare providers covering registration, safeguarding, staffing, premises, records, and insurance.

Meet Scotland's Health and Social Care Standards

How to meet Scotland's Health and Social Care Standards (My support, my life), covering the five headline standards, self-assessment approaches, evidence of compliance, and common shortfalls identified by the Care Inspectorate.

Register your care staff with Social Care Wales

How to ensure your care staff register with Social Care Wales, including mandatory registration categories, qualification requirements, the Code of Professional Practice, fitness to practise processes, and your obligations as an employer.

Responding to Care Inspectorate enforcement action in Scotland

What to do when the Care Inspectorate imposes conditions, issues improvement notices, or initiates cancellation of your registration, including your rights of appeal under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and the sheriff court appeal process.

Energy & Utilities

Develop offshore wind projects and secure seabed leases

How to develop offshore wind projects in UK waters, from securing seabed rights through Crown Estate leasing rounds to obtaining Section 36 consent, safety zones, and grid connections. Covers England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland with differences in consenting regimes and landlords.

Understand deep land rights and petroleum licensing for onshore energy

How deep level land access rights work for petroleum and geothermal exploration. Covers the 300m depth threshold, PEDL licensing, hydraulic fracturing consent requirements, and the 11 statutory safeguards. Includes differences between England/Wales and Scotland.

Working in the civil nuclear industry

Regulatory compliance requirements for businesses operating in the civil nuclear industry including site licensing, security vetting, liability insurance, and decommissioning obligations under Office for Nuclear Regulation oversight.

Run a heat network or steam supply business

Heat networks — district heating and cooling — are moving into formal regulation: the Energy Act 2023 makes Ofgem the regulator and brings in operator authorisation and consumer protection, phased in from 2024. Alongside that sit the plant-level duties: steam boilers and pressure systems need a written scheme of examination, air-conditioning plant containing F-gases needs certified handling, heat and steam plant in buildings must meet Building Regulations energy standards, CHP operators can certify under CHPQA for Climate Change Levy relief, and large undertakings must run ESOS energy audits every four years.

Gas network and gas safety rules

Conveying gas through pipes to premises needs an Ofgem gas transporter licence and an HSE-accepted safety case before you start — and gas manufacturing processes connected to a network, such as biomethane production, need their own safety case. High-pressure pipelines carry major-accident duties under the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996, networks with more than one transporter need a Network Emergency Co-ordinator, and licensed transporters sit under the RIIO-GD price control. The Gas Act 1986 does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Gas supply and shipper licensing

How to obtain a gas supply, shipper, transporter, or interconnector licence from Ofgem. Covers licence types, exemptions, application process, fees, standard conditions, HSE safety case requirements, and penalties for non-compliance. Applies to Great Britain only.

Comply as an energy supplier

Selling electricity or gas to customers over the public networks is a licensed activity with heavyweight ongoing obligations. Beyond getting the Ofgem supply licence, you must join the industry codes — the Balancing and Settlement Code for electricity, the Uniform Network Code for gas — keep domestic tariffs within the quarterly price cap, meet Ofgem's standards of conduct, and meet the renewable-scheme obligations: the Renewables Obligation, the Contracts for Difference levy and, for larger suppliers, the mandatory Smart Export Guarantee. Ofgem can fine suppliers up to 10% of turnover for licence-condition breaches.

Energy compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for energy businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every energy business shares, then the section for what you operate — electricity generation, electricity networks, gas networks and gas manufacture, energy supply, or heat, steam and air conditioning.

Get an electricity generation licence

How to determine if you need an electricity generation licence from Ofgem (GB) or the Utility Regulator (NI). Covers licensing thresholds, exemptions, environmental permits, grid connections, and COMAH compliance for larger energy facilities.

Get paid for renewable electricity you generate

How to register for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) to receive payment for renewable electricity you export to the grid. Covers solar PV, wind, and other small-scale renewables up to 5MW.

Run an electricity network business

Electricity transmission and distribution are licensed monopoly activities in Great Britain. Transmission operators need an Ofgem transmission licence and must comply with the Grid Code and CUSC under the RIIO-T price control. Distribution network operators need a distribution licence, sit under the RIIO-ED price control and must meet Ofgem's guaranteed standards of performance. Businesses that build and adopt new connection assets follow the ICP accreditation or IDNO licence route. In Northern Ireland the networks are regulated by UREGNI.

Understanding UREGNI: utility regulation in Northern Ireland

How utility regulation works in Northern Ireland, where UREGNI (the Utility Regulator) oversees electricity, gas, and water as a single combined regulator. Covers why NI energy regulation is fundamentally different from Great Britain, the all-island Single Electricity Market shared with the Republic of Ireland, NI Water as a government-owned company, and what this means for businesses operating in or entering the NI energy market.

Contracts for Difference (CfD)

The main government support mechanism for new low-carbon electricity generation. CfDs provide long-term price stability for renewable generators through competitive allocation rounds.

Electricity Supply Licence

Businesses supplying electricity to consumers in Great Britain require a Supply Licence from Ofgem.

Development Consent Order (DCO)

Offshore wind farms exceeding 100MW and other Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) require a Development Consent Order from the Secretary of State.

Apply for an electricity or gas licence in Northern Ireland

Step-by-step guide to applying to UREGNI for an electricity or gas licence in Northern Ireland. Covers the different licence types for electricity (generation, transmission, distribution, supply) and gas (supply, conveyance, storage), what UREGNI requires from applicants, the application process and timescales, and the criminal offence of operating without a licence.

Crown Estate Seabed Lease

All offshore wind developments in English and Welsh waters require a seabed lease from The Crown Estate.

Install renewable energy on your farm

How to get planning permission and financial support for solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy on agricultural land. Covers permitted development limits, agricultural land classification, and the Smart Export Guarantee.

Which energy rules apply to your business

Energy businesses — electricity generators, network operators, gas transporters and manufacturers, energy suppliers and heat network operators — share one defining feature: most activities need an Ofgem licence or authorisation before you can operate, and operating without one can be a criminal offence. Beyond licensing, what you must do depends on what you operate. Work out which you are and follow the right guide — and if you operate in Northern Ireland, the Utility Regulator (UREGNI) licenses you separately.

Grid Connection Agreement

All electricity generators connecting to the GB electricity network require a connection agreement with either NESO (National Energy System Operator) (transmission) or a Distribution Network Operator (DNO).

Aerospace & Defence

Get paid for your exports

Payment methods, export finance, and how to reduce the risk of non-payment when selling overseas.

Understanding SIA regulation of the private security industry

What the Security Industry Authority does, why private security is regulated in the United Kingdom, how the licensing system works under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and what happens to businesses and individuals who operate without a licence.

Automotive

Vehicle and transport equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

A verification checklist that pulls the vehicle and transport-equipment package together (SIC divisions 29 and 30). Use it to confirm type-approval and conformity are done and documented, emissions and CO2 met, replacement parts safe, end-of-life producer responsibility set up, UK REACH substances assessed, and export-control licensing checked before you export.

Run a compliant motor trade business

Whether you sell vehicles, run a garage, supply parts or dismantle cars, the same core duties apply: protect the personal data you hold, do not discriminate, insure your employees, manage health and safety, keep your premises fire-safe, trade fairly, and deal with your waste responsibly. Put these in place before you take on staff, customers or stock.

Sell vehicles: rules for dealers

Selling cars, vans or motorcycles brings duties beyond ordinary consumer law: you must not mislead buyers about a vehicle's history, you must display fuel and CO2 information on new cars, and if you arrange finance or sell add-on insurance you must be authorised by the FCA. Dealers who import or first-register vehicles also have type-approval duties.

Type-approve and place motor vehicles, trailers and components on the GB market

A task guide for makers of motor vehicles, trailers, bodywork and components (SIC division 29) placing product on the GB market. It covers whole-vehicle and multi-stage type-approval, component and separate-technical-unit (STU) approval, emissions and CO2 type-approval, and replacement-part safety, with the placing-on-market sequence in order.

Run a vehicle repair garage or MOT station

Repairing and servicing vehicles is not licensed in itself, but MOT testing is: only DVSA-approved stations with authorised testers may carry it out. Garages also have specific duties around air-conditioning refrigerant (F-gas) and the hazardous waste they generate. MOT testing works differently in Northern Ireland, where it is run by the state.

Motor trade compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for motor trade businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every motor business shares, then the section for what you do — selling vehicles, repair and MOT, parts, or dismantling and salvage. Several duties differ by nation, so check the rule for where you operate.

Run a vehicle dismantler or salvage business

Dismantling, salvaging and scrapping vehicles is one of the most regulated parts of the motor trade. To depollute and scrap end-of-life vehicles you need an environmental permit and Authorised Treatment Facility status — only an ATF can issue the Certificate of Destruction — and to trade in scrap or salvage you need a scrap metal dealer licence.

Which motor trade rules apply to your business

"Motor trade" covers very different businesses — selling cars and motorcycles as a dealer, repairing and MOT-testing vehicles in a garage, selling parts and accessories, or dismantling and scrapping end-of-life vehicles. Each has its own regulators and rules, on top of the duties they all share. Work out which description fits you and follow the right guide.

Chemicals & Materials

Set up and run a safe rubber or plastics factory

Rubber and plastics processing is machinery- and chemical-intensive: moulding, extrusion, calendering, curing and finishing. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality, data protection, and your UK REACH duties on the monomers, plasticisers and additives you use.

Building and landscape services: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your building and landscape services business (SIC division 81) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and employment items every operation shares, then the pest-control, landscaping and waste items if they apply. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Meet your pest control, landscaping and waste duties

If you carry out pest control, use professional pesticides and herbicides, remove green waste or work near invasive non-native species, you take on duties beyond the workplace foundation. This guide takes you through biocidal-product authorisation, pesticide-competence certificates, the waste duty of care for green waste, and the law on invasive species such as Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed.

Ongoing material duties for vehicle manufacturers: end-of-life recycling and restricted substances

A task guide for motor-vehicle manufacturers (SIC division 29) on the two ongoing material duties that continue beyond placing a vehicle on the market — end-of-life vehicle producer responsibility, and the restriction of chemical substances under UK REACH. Both are recurring duties to set up, not one-off checks.

Manage solvents, inks and emissions in printing

If you use solvent-based inks, coatings and cleaning agents, printing carries duties beyond the factory floor: an air-emissions permit that controls volatile organic compounds, and your UK REACH duties on the hazardous substances in your inks and chemicals. This guide takes you through both.

Substances of Very High Concern obligations

How to comply with UK REACH obligations for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). Covers the Candidate List, notification requirements, supply chain communication duties, authorisation, restrictions, and how the UK and EU SVHC lists are diverging.

UK REACH for downstream users

How to comply with UK REACH obligations as a downstream user of chemical substances in Great Britain. Covers Safety Data Sheet compliance, exposure scenario adherence, SVHC communication duties, substance evaluation cooperation, and record keeping.

Notify hazardous mixtures to the National Poisons Information Service

How to notify the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) about hazardous mixtures placed on the GB market. Covers when notification is required, the Unique Formula Identifier (UFI), submission format, update triggers, and penalties for non-compliance.

Agriculture & Rural

Report livestock movements and comply with standstill rules

How to report cattle, sheep, goat, pig, and deer movements using government traceability systems. Includes reporting deadlines, standstill periods, and required documentation for disease control compliance.

Farm health and safety essentials

Essential health and safety requirements for farmers and farm workers. Covers legal duties, risk assessment, the top causes of farm fatalities, and practical guidance for managing the most dangerous hazards including vehicles, falls, livestock, machinery, and confined spaces.

Meet bovine TB testing requirements for cattle

Comprehensive guide to bovine TB testing requirements for UK cattle farmers. Covers testing frequency by risk area (HRA, Edge, LRA), pre-movement testing (60 days validity, 30 for Scotland), post-movement testing (60-120 day window), reactor handling (10 working day removal), compensation system and reduction rules (up to 95% for non-compliance), movement restrictions during breakdowns, and record-keeping requirements. Includes geographic callouts for Wales and Scotland differences.

Understand farm rules after cross-compliance ended

What environmental, animal health, and land management rules still apply to farms now that cross-compliance has ended. Explains how enforcement changed when cross-compliance ended on 31 December 2023 and which regulators are responsible for what.

Comply with Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations

How to comply with NVZ regulations if your land is in a designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. Covers nitrogen application limits, closed spreading periods, storage requirements, record-keeping obligations, grassland derogation, and penalties for non-compliance. Includes guidance for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland where different rules apply.

Meet sheep welfare requirements on your farm

How to meet your legal obligations for sheep welfare in the UK. Covers the Five Welfare Needs, housing and shelter, lambing management, permitted procedures (tail docking, castration), shearing, foot care, feeding, transport, record keeping, and scrapie monitoring. Essential for anyone keeping sheep commercially or as a smallholder.

Meet poultry welfare requirements

Legal requirements for keeping poultry in the UK, including the five welfare needs, stocking densities, lighting, litter management, environmental enrichment, beak trimming restrictions, and biosecurity measures. Covers laying hens, broilers, and free-range systems.

Agricultural tenancy rights in Scotland

Comprehensive guide to agricultural tenancy law in Scotland, covering both the 1991 Act (pre-2003 secure tenancies) and 2003 Act (SLDT, LDT, MLDT) tenancy types. Includes rent review procedures, notice periods, succession rights, waygoing compensation, and Scottish Land Court jurisdiction.

Manage access land and SSSIs on your property

Understand your obligations as a landowner of open access land or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Covers right to roam, reduced liability, temporary closures, SSSI consent requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.

Compare ELM schemes to choose the right environmental funding

Comprehensive comparison of England's Environmental Land Management schemes - Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Countryside Stewardship (CS), and Landscape Recovery. Includes current status (SFI closed until 2026), payment rates, eligibility criteria, decision framework, and what to do if your SFI application was affected by the March 2025 closure.

Recognise and report notifiable animal diseases

How to identify signs of notifiable diseases in livestock and report suspected cases to APHA. Covers bovine TB, avian influenza, foot-and-mouth, swine fever, and other notifiable diseases with immediate reporting requirements.

Prepare for the end of BPS delinked payments

What farmers need to know as delinked payments end in 2027. Covers payment reduction schedules (76% in 2025, 98% in 2026-2027), reference amount calculations, key dates, and how to replace lost income through Environmental Land Management schemes and other funding options.

Comply with livestock movement standstill periods

Legal requirements for standstill periods after livestock arrive on your holding. Covers standstill lengths by species, exemptions, and penalties for breaching standstill rules for disease control.

Identify and tag sheep and goats

How to identify and tag sheep and goats correctly. Covers double EID tagging for breeding stock, batch tagging for animals going direct to slaughter under 12 months, tagging deadlines, and replacement rules for lost or damaged tags.

Meet pig welfare requirements on your farm

Legal requirements for pig welfare in England. Covers the five welfare needs, space requirements, environmental enrichment, permitted procedures, housing standards, transport, slaughter, and record-keeping. Applies to all pig keepers including commercial farms and smallholders.

Prepare for farm inspections and audits

How to prepare for regulatory inspections and farm assurance audits. Covers which bodies inspect farms, what triggers inspections, your rights during visits, and how to build a good compliance track record that can reduce inspection frequency.

Apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier

How to apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreements in England. Covers invitation priorities, the 99 base and 33 supplemental actions, pre-application advice from Natural England, rolling applications from September 2025, and payment rates by category.

Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief for farms

How Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) work for farms and agricultural estates. Understand the allowances, qualifying criteria, calculate your potential liability, and plan your succession effectively.

SFI closure and transition to future farming schemes

What the SFI closure means for farmers and how to plan for the transition. Covers what happens to existing agreements, options during the closure period, the reformed SFI 2026 offer, and alternative funding including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Capital Grants. Essential guidance for farmers affected by the March 2025 SFI closure.

Grow and sell crops: seed, spraying and certification

Arable and horticultural growers face rules at every stage of the crop cycle — certified seed if you market seed, certificates of competence for everyone who applies pesticides professionally, regular sprayer testing, and registration duties for vineyards and wine production. Water and nutrient rules sit alongside these and have their own guides.

Set up equestrian or livery services on your farm

How to comply with VAT, licensing, and insurance requirements when offering livery, riding lessons, or equestrian facilities. Covers VAT treatment, riding establishment licensing, and specialist insurance needs.

Host weddings and events on your farm

How to set up and run a farm wedding or event venue. Covers planning permission, licensing, fire safety, insurance, and food safety requirements for converting agricultural buildings to event spaces.

Comply with biodiversity net gain for development in England

If you are developing land in England, you must achieve at least 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) as a condition of planning permission. This guide explains when BNG applies, how to calculate it, how to deliver it, and what your long-term management obligations are.

Deer management obligations in Scotland

Guide to deer management obligations in Scotland under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, covering female deer close seasons (male close seasons were abolished in October 2023), authorisations for out-of-season and night shooting, deer management plans, crop damage provisions, and NatureScot control schemes.

Navigate farm assurance schemes

Comparison of major UK farm assurance schemes including Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured, Soil Association Organic, and LEAF Marque. Covers membership costs, audit frequency, standards above statutory baseline, market access benefits, and overlap with statutory requirements. Includes decision framework for choosing schemes by farm type and market, and devolved nation schemes (QMS, FAWL).

Understand Landscape Recovery funding for large-scale environmental projects

What Landscape Recovery is and whether it could suit your land. Covers the three-phase process (project development, implementation, land management), funding available (up to 500,000 development funding, 500 million total government commitment), current Round 1 and Round 2 projects, and the scheme's current closed-to-new-entrants status.

Remove or manage hedgerows lawfully

How to remove a hedgerow lawfully under the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 and manage agricultural hedgerows under the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024. Covers when a hedgerow removal notice is required, 'important hedgerow' criteria, the 42-day application process, local planning authority powers, exemptions for agriculture and planning permission, buffer strips and the cutting ban, penalties for unlawful removal, and interaction with ancient woodland protections.

Join the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

How to join the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, a government programme that funds annual vet reviews and endemic disease follow-ups for livestock keepers in England. Covers eligibility, payment rates by species, and how to book and claim.

Which farming rules apply to your business

Farming is regulated by what you produce and where you farm. Livestock keepers register land and animals before anything moves; arable and horticultural growers face seed, spraying and water rules; every farm in England now answers to the rules that replaced cross-compliance. Work out which farm type fits your business below, then follow the matching guidance.

Heritage and nature considerations in Scottish planning

How Historic Environment Scotland and NatureScot interact with the Scottish planning system, including NPF4 heritage and nature policies, statutory consultation roles, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Habitats Regulations Appraisal requirements.

Managing land within an SSSI in Scotland

Your legal obligations when you own, occupy, or manage land within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Scotland. Covers Operations Requiring Consent, NatureScot's enforcement powers, management agreement payments, and what happens if you damage SSSI features.

Media & Broadcasting

Film and TV production tax reliefs and regulation

How to access UK film and television tax reliefs, including Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) rates, BFI cultural test certification, child performance licensing, health and safety requirements, and filming permits. Essential compliance and planning guidance for production companies.

Broadcast licensing and Ofcom regulation

How to obtain broadcast licences from Ofcom for television and radio services in the UK. Includes licence types, application processes, Broadcasting Code compliance, and on-demand service notification requirements.

Run a compliant publishing business

Whatever you publish, the same core duties apply: respect copyright in the works you publish, protect the personal data you hold, follow the electronic marketing rules for subscriptions and promotions, insure your employees, and keep your workplace safe, fire-safe and free of discrimination. Put these in place before you add the rules for your kind of publishing.

Meet your film, TV and music production regulatory duties

If your production works with child performers, supplies classified video works, exhibits films to the public, creates copyright-protected content or licenses music rights, your business carries sector-specific duties on top of the universal workplace foundation. This guide covers each regime and what you need to do.

Set up as a creative freelancer or studio

How to start and run a creative business as a designer, photographer, writer, or other creative professional. Covers business structures, tax registration, contracts, insurance, and protecting your intellectual property.

Print and periodical publishing rules

If you publish books, newspapers, journals or directories — in print or online — three duties apply on top of the rules every publisher shares: you must deposit copies of what you publish with the legal deposit libraries, meet consumer subscription and cancellation rules, and (for directories and mailing lists) handle personal data lawfully.

Obtain music licences for your business premises

How to obtain and maintain the correct music licences when playing recorded or live music in your business premises - covering PPL, PRS, and combined licencing options.

Publishing compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for publishing businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every publisher shares, then the section for what you publish — print and periodical, or software and video games.

Which publishing rules apply to your business

Publishing covers two very different businesses: print and periodical publishers (books, newspapers, journals, directories) and software and video-game publishers. Both share a core of duties — copyright, data protection, electronic-marketing rules and the usual workplace duties — but print publishers also have legal deposit and subscription rules, while game publishers must get age ratings. Work out which you are and follow the right guide.

Education & Childcare

Run a school, training or instruction business

Education businesses register by what they teach and to whom. An independent school must be registered with the Department for Education before it operates. A higher education provider seeking student finance or degree-awarding powers registers with the Office for Students. Paid car driving instruction is restricted to the DVSA's ADI register, and apprenticeship training providers join the APAR register. Private tutors and most adult-education businesses need no education-specific licence — their duties are safeguarding, DBS and data protection.

Which education and childcare rules apply to your business

Education and childcare businesses are regulated by what they do and who they serve. Early years and out-of-school childcare register with Ofsted in England. Independent schools register with the Department for Education. Higher education providers register with the Office for Students. Driving instructors join the DVSA's ADI register (Great Britain-wide — Northern Ireland has the DVA's separate register). Domiciliary care and social work have their own regulators. Find your provider type below, then follow the route that matches.

Guides

Set up and run a safe metal production plant

Producing basic metals — smelting, casting, rolling, refining and founding iron, steel, aluminium and other non-ferrous metals — is among the highest- hazard things a manufacturer does. Whatever you produce, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of metal fume and silica, explosive-atmosphere and work-equipment safety, fire, insurance, equality and data protection, the environmental permits your installation needs, the COMAH major-accident controls at threshold, and — for the few nuclear-fuel sites — the ONR nuclear site licence.

Identify and tag livestock correctly

Legal requirements for identifying and tagging cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer. Includes species-specific tagging deadlines, tag specifications, passport requirements, and replacement rules.

Set up and run a safe oil refinery or coke works

Refining crude oil and making coke is among the highest-hazard manufacturing there is — large quantities of flammable and toxic substances, high temperatures and pressures, and major-accident potential. This is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, explosive-atmosphere controls, work equipment, manual handling, fire safety, the COMAH major-accident regime and your environmental permit, the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, insurance, equality and data protection.

Environmental compliance for construction sites

Your environmental obligations for construction sites including site waste management, environmental permits, dust control, and noise management.

Comply with farming environmental regulations

How to comply with environmental regulations for fertiliser storage and application, pesticide use, the baseline rules that replaced cross-compliance, and nutrient management planning. Covers Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, BASIS certification, hedgerow management rules, and RB209 nutrient planning.

Slurry and silage storage compliance (SSAFO)

How to comply with SSAFO regulations for storing silage, slurry, and agricultural fuel oil on farms. Covers construction standards, storage capacity requirements, notification procedures, exemptions for pre-1991 structures, and Environment Agency enforcement. Includes guidance for farms in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones where stricter storage requirements apply.

Set up and run a safe metal fabrication workshop

Metal fabrication is machinery- and exposure-intensive: cutting, welding, grinding, pressing and surface finishing. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties — including the controls now required for welding fume — work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality, data protection, and the environmental permit you need if you treat metal surfaces.

Set up and run a safe metal ore mine

Mining metal ores — iron, copper, tin, lead, zinc, tungsten, uranium and thorium — is high-hazard work. This is the universal spine: it takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, the Mines Regulations 2014 mine-safety regime, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe wood-products factory

Sawmilling and making wood products — sawn timber, veneers, plywood and particle board, joinery, packaging and other wood and cork goods — is machinery- and dust-intensive. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of wood dust, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection, and the environmental permit that larger plants need.

Understand your farm's regulatory obligations

A regulatory map for UK farms, showing which of 10+ regulatory bodies apply by farm type. Links to detailed compliance guides for each area.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) compliance

Complete guide to UK ETS obligations for installations, aviation operators, and maritime operators. Covers registration thresholds, annual reporting deadlines, verification requirements, allowance surrender, and penalties.

Keep holding registers for livestock

Legal requirements for recording livestock identification, movements, births, deaths, and annual inventories. Covers cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and deer with species-specific deadlines and retention periods.

Set up and run a safe furniture factory

Furniture-making is machinery- and dust-intensive: sawing, machining, sanding, assembly, upholstery and finishing, working with wood, foams, fabrics, adhesives and lacquers. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of wood dust and finishing chemicals, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe machinery factory

Making machinery and equipment is metalworking- and assembly-intensive: machining, welding, fabrication, heat treatment and testing. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe mineral products factory

Making glass, ceramics, cement, lime, concrete and stone products is machinery- and dust-intensive, and respirable crystalline silica is the defining health hazard. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of silica and other hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe other-manufacturing workshop

Division 32 covers a range of bench and workshop trades — jewellery, musical instruments, sports goods, games and toys, medical and dental instruments, brushes and other goods. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe paper mill

Making pulp, paper and paper products — from stock preparation and the paper machine through to converting, corrugating and finishing — is heavy-machinery, steam and chemical work. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of process chemicals, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe printing business

Printing is machinery- and chemical-intensive: presses, cutters and finishing lines, and inks, solvents and cleaning agents. Whatever you print, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe repair and installation business

Repairing, maintaining and installing machinery and equipment — in your own workshop and on customers' sites — carries machinery, electrical, lifting, working-at-height and hazardous-substance risks. Whatever you work on, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe tobacco factory

Tobacco processing is machinery- and dust-intensive: conditioning, cutting, drying, blending, rolling and packing, using casing and flavouring chemicals. Whatever you make, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, control of hazardous substances and tobacco dust, work equipment safety, manual handling, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Comply with Farming Rules for Water

How to comply with the 8 Farming Rules for Water that apply to all farmers in England. Covers planning fertiliser applications, soil testing requirements, buffer zones near water, prohibited spreading conditions, manure storage, livestock management, soil erosion prevention, and enforcement by the Environment Agency.

Forestry operations, consents and timber rules

The consents and product rules for forestry work, by activity. Felling growing trees generally needs a felling licence with restocking conditions; larger afforestation, deforestation, forest roads and quarries need an Environmental Impact Assessment opinion first. Tree nurseries must register as professional plant-health operators and issue plant passports, and suppliers of forest seed and planting stock must register with the Forestry Commission. Marketing your own harvested timber makes you a UK Timber Regulation operator with due-diligence duties. Work on protected trees needs local planning authority consent, and professional pesticide use needs certificated operators.

Set up and run a safe creative arts and entertainment business

Whether you run a theatre, a live music venue, a dance company or an arts centre, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, premises licensing under the Licensing Act 2003, child performance licensing, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Making rental properties fit for tenants

How private landlords in England must ensure their properties are fit for human habitation. Covers the implied covenant, HHSRS hazards, inspection rights, and financial risks from tenant court claims.

Meet biodiversity net gain requirements for development

How to comply with mandatory 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements when developing land in England. Covers the statutory biodiversity metric, delivery options, habitat management plans, and protected species obligations.

Data protection for healthcare providers

How healthcare providers must handle patient data under UK GDPR, including special category health data requirements, Caldicott Principles, the common law duty of confidentiality, and record retention requirements.

Farm machinery safety

Legal requirements and practical guidance for safe use of farm machinery. Covers PUWER and LOLER compliance, tractor safety, PTO guarding, telehandlers, ATVs, combine harvesters, maintenance requirements, young worker restrictions, and record keeping.

Landlord safety and legal duties for rented homes

A landlord letting residential property must keep it safe and legally fit: annual gas checks, five-yearly electrical inspections, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a property fit for human habitation, deposit protection, and — for larger shared houses — an HMO licence. Several of these duties differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check the rule for where your property is.

Set up a property letting business

Five mandatory compliance requirements for lettings agents operating in England. Register before you trade to avoid penalties up to £30,000.

Set up and run a safe cultural activities operation

Running a library, archive, museum, gallery, historic site, botanical garden, zoo or nature reserve means managing public-facing premises and the people who work in them. This is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection, then — if you keep animals — zoo licensing and dangerous-wild-animal licensing.

Construction Site Health and Safety

Essential health and safety requirements for construction sites including work at height, asbestos, manual handling, and PPE.

Run a regulated financial services firm

Every financial intermediary shares a core of regulated-firm duties: hold the right FCA permissions for what you do, operate the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, deliver the Consumer Duty on retail business, keep promotions compliant, handle complaints under the FCA's rules, run anti-money-laundering controls, meet operational resilience requirements, and protect personal data. Pension administrators have their own section — The Pensions Regulator's regime applies to them even where no FCA permission is held.

Food and drink business licensing and compliance

Navigate the complete range of licences, registrations, certifications, and consents required for food and drink businesses across production, sales, export, and environmental compliance.

Commercial fishing licence and compliance

How to get a commercial fishing licence and comply with UK fishing regulations. Covers vessel licensing, quota allocation, catch recording, I-VMS requirements, and fish export certificates.

Holiday let food hygiene, employment and insurance

Food hygiene, employment law, insurance, and environmental duties for self-catering holiday accommodation. Covers food business registration, allergens, food hygiene ratings by nation, right to work checks, tips allocation, employer liability, and guest protection obligations.

Run a compliant forestry business

Whatever forestry work you do — growing, felling, haulage to roadside or tree surgery — the same core duties apply, and health and safety leads by a distance: forestry has one of the highest fatal-injury rates of any sector. Manage the high-hazard fieldwork, keep chainsaws and lifting equipment compliant with certificated operators, insure your employees including seasonal and contract workers, do not discriminate, and handle personal data lawfully.

Reservoir registration and safety inspections

How to register large raised reservoirs, appoint panel engineers, comply with inspection requirements, and meet safety obligations under the Reservoirs Act 1975 and devolved legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Set up and run a safe air transport operation

Air transport operations expose your people to aircraft-handling risks, fuel, noise, working at height on and around aircraft, and manual handling of cargo and baggage. Whatever you carry, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, the sector-specific hazards, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Accommodation regulations for hotels, B&Bs, and short-term lets

Comprehensive guide to UK accommodation regulation covering tourist accommodation registration, short-term lets rules, fire safety for sleeping accommodation, HMO licensing, VAT on accommodation, and legionella risk management. Includes devolved differences for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Build and manage higher-risk buildings safely

How construction businesses must comply with the Building Safety Act 2022 when developing higher-risk buildings (18m+ or 7+ storeys). Covers the gateway approval process, golden thread record-keeping, and accountable person responsibilities. England only.

Get an environmental permit for intensive livestock

Step-by-step guide for intensive poultry and pig farmers who need an Environment Agency environmental permit under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016. Covers permit thresholds, pre-application ammonia screening, the bespoke Part A(1) application process, BAT compliance, ongoing permit conditions, variation and surrender, and interaction with planning permission. Includes devolved nation guidance for Scotland (EASR via SEPA) and Wales (NRW).

Set up and run a safe management consultancy

Management consultancies and head offices face typical office-based risks — display-screen equipment, workstation assessment, stress and mental health. On top of those workplace duties, if you market by email, text or automated calls, the PECR electronic-marketing rules bite. This is the universal spine: it takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality, data protection and PECR.

Gambling licensing requirements for UK businesses

How to obtain gambling licences from the Gambling Commission, including operating, personal and premises licences. Covers responsible gambling requirements, compliance obligations, and 2025 regulatory changes.

Comply with the ground rent ban on new residential leases

What landlords and property developers must do to comply with the ground rent ban. Covers which leases are affected, exemptions, penalties for non-compliance, and how to manage a portfolio with both pre-2022 and post-2022 leases.

Set up and run a safe water supply operation

Every water collection, treatment and supply business must protect its workers and others affected by the work. This guide covers the workplace health and safety, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection duties that apply before you get into the sector-specific water industry regulatory requirements.

Meet cattle welfare requirements

Legal welfare requirements for keeping cattle in England, covering the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations 2007. Includes the five welfare needs, housing standards, permitted procedures (disbudding, castration), transport rules, and inspection requirements.

Register land to keep livestock

How to obtain a County Parish Holding (CPH) number before keeping cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, or poultry. Includes registration process, required information, and herd/flock mark allocation.

Manufacture controlled drugs and run a safe pharmaceutical site

A task guide for pharmaceutical manufacturers (SIC division 21) on the additional licence for controlled drugs and the duties that make a pharma site safe to run. It covers the Home Office controlled-drug licence, the environmental permit for large-scale chemical synthesis, and the workplace duties for hazardous substances, work equipment and general health and safety.

Pubs Code for tied tenants

Your rights as a tied pub tenant under the Pubs Code. Covers Market Rent Only (MRO) option, rent assessment process, regulated pub companies, and how to raise disputes with the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

Set up and run a safe broadcasting operation

Broadcasting involves studios, control rooms, outside broadcasts and transmission sites. Whatever you broadcast, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties — including the sector hazards around rigging, electrical equipment, working at height and display screen equipment — fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Work with your local planning authority

How to engage effectively with your local planning authority at every stage of the planning process - from pre-application advice and duty officer services through to condition discharge and post-decision amendments.

Creative arts and entertainment: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your creative arts and entertainment business (SIC division 90) meets its obligations before you open to the public. Work through the universal workplace and employment items, then the premises licensing and child performance licensing items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Set up and run a safe building and landscape services operation

Cleaning, pest control and landscaping carry specific workplace risks — COSHH-controlled chemicals (cleaning agents, biocides, pesticides), working at height (window cleaning, tree surgery), hand-arm vibration (chainsaws, strimmers), manual handling and slips, trips and falls. Whatever service you provide, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Brewery licensing and compliance

Complete licensing, registration, and duty requirements for operating a brewery in the UK, including APPA registration, food safety, premises licensing, and alcohol duty obligations.

Run a compliant insurance or pension business

Whether you carry insurance risk or fund pensions, the same workplace and data duties apply alongside your regulatory regime: protect the personal data you hold and pay the ICO fee, insure your employees, and keep your offices and call centres safe, fire-safe and free of discrimination. Put these in place alongside your PRA, FCA or TPR obligations.

Holiday let safety requirements and compliance

Health and safety requirements for self-catering holiday accommodation. Covers fire safety, gas safety, electrical safety, legionella prevention, risk assessment, record keeping, and building a compliance pack for inspections.

Keep children safe on farms

Legal requirements and practical guidance for protecting children on farms. Covers age restrictions for farm work and machinery, prohibited activities for under-13s and 13-16 year olds, safe play areas, visitor safety, and what family farms must do to keep children safe from workplace hazards.

Select and fit test respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

How to select the right respiratory protective equipment for your workplace hazards and ensure it is properly fit tested. Covers hazard identification, RPE types and Assigned Protection Factors, fit testing methods, facial hair policies, maintenance and filter replacement. Based on HSE guidance HSG53.

Run a compliant energy business

Whatever energy business you run — generation, networks, gas, supply or heat — the same core duties apply. Health and safety carries unusual weight in this sector because of major-hazard risk, you must insure your employees, activities with emissions need an environmental permit from the right national regulator, large combustion installations are in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, and sites holding dangerous substances above threshold quantities have COMAH major-accident duties.

Annual compliance checklist for law firms

A checklist of annual regulatory obligations for SRA-authorised law firms in England and Wales. Covers practising certificate renewal, professional indemnity insurance, Compensation Fund contributions, accountant's reports, AML reviews, COLP and COFA returns, price transparency, and continuing competence.

Aviation cargo security compliance

How to become a Known Consignor or Regulated Agent for air cargo. Covers CAA certification, security vetting requirements, cargo screening, and dangerous goods training.

Packaging waste producer responsibilities

Who must comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, how to register and report data, and what disposal fees and recycling obligations apply. Covers small and large producer thresholds, compliance schemes, PRNs and PERNs, and how EPR interacts with Plastic Packaging Tax.

Becoming an apprenticeship training provider

How to register as an apprenticeship training provider in England. Covers APAR registration, funding rules, Ofsted inspection, apprenticeship levy, and subcontracting requirements.

Claim creative industry tax reliefs

Corporation Tax reliefs for creative businesses - film, high-end TV, animation, video games, theatre, orchestras, and museums - including rates, eligibility, BFI cultural test, and application process.

Insurer conduct and accountability rules

Alongside the prudential regime, the FCA supervises how an insurer treats its customers and who runs it: senior managers need approval under the SM&CR, retail business carries the Consumer Duty, promotions must comply with the financial promotion restriction, complaints follow the FCA's DISP rules with referral to the Financial Ombudsman, claims must be paid within a reasonable time, home and motor pricing must not penalise loyalty, and you must belong to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Manage your environmental permit compliance

How to stay compliant with your environmental permit conditions. Covers monitoring and recording, reporting to your regulator, paying subsistence fees, preparing for inspections, and what to do if you breach your permit conditions.

Consumer credit rates and thresholds reference

Quick reference for consumer credit rates, thresholds, and regulatory limits. Covers Section 75 thresholds, HCSTC price cap, FCA fees, FOS award limits, persistent debt thresholds, early settlement compensation, and exempt agreement limits.

Get the specialist approvals for the systems you repair and install

Some kinds of equipment can only be worked on under a specific approval or certification. If you install, service or repair gas appliances, refrigeration and air-conditioning, pressure systems, aircraft or ships, this guide takes you through the registration, certification and competence you need before you do the work.

Hydrogen Production Licensing and Compliance

Licensing, safety, and environmental requirements for hydrogen production facilities in the UK. Includes Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard certification, environmental permits, planning consent, COMAH compliance, and government funding through the Hydrogen Production Business Model.

Operate a safe chemical manufacturing site: major-hazard, environmental and explosives controls

A task guide for chemical manufacturers (SIC division 20) on the site-based controls that apply to a working chemical plant. It covers major-accident hazard duties under COMAH, the environmental permit for the installation, dangerous-substance and explosive-atmosphere controls under DSEAR, and the licensing and supply controls for explosives and their precursors.

Set up and run a safe fishing or aquaculture business

Whether you operate a fishing vessel, run a fish farm or harvest shellfish, you have shore-based duties that apply across the board. This is the universal spine for division 03. It takes you through your general health and safety duty for premises and shore-based operations, fire safety for hatcheries, processing sheds, net stores and offices, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.

Set up and run a safe legal or accounting practice

Legal and accountancy practices are office businesses with deep duties of confidentiality. Beyond your professional regulator, you carry the same employer obligations as any office: health and safety (including display-screen equipment and stress), fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality, and data protection — where client files and special-category data make the ICO duties especially live.

Set up and run a safe public administration operation

Public administration bodies — government departments, local authorities, defence establishments and agencies carrying out compulsory social security — face office-based and field-based risks depending on function. Whether you administer benefits, manage public infrastructure or run defence logistics, the core workplace duties apply. This guide takes you through health and safety, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality (including the Public Sector Equality Duty) and data protection. Crown employers' duties under HASWA 1974 apply with full force.

Set up and run a safe scientific research operation

Whatever your research discipline — biotechnology, natural science, social science or humanities — you share the same workplace-safety foundation. This guide takes you through your general health and safety duty, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection. Put this spine in place first, then layer the conditional regulatory duties that apply to your specific research activities.

Control respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust in the workplace

How to identify and control silica dust exposure in your workplace. Covers COSHH assessment for RCS, the workplace exposure limit (0.1 mg/m3), engineering controls, RPE selection, health surveillance and air monitoring. Silica dust is a current HSE enforcement priority.

Environmental permits and effluent controls for textile finishing and leather tanning

A task guide for textile dyeing and finishing (SIC division 13) and leather tanning (SIC division 15) on the wet-processing environmental regime. It covers when you need an environmental permit for the installation, trade effluent consent to discharge to the public sewer, and the animal by-products controls for raw hides and skins.

Late Night Levy for licensed premises

Understanding the Late Night Levy for alcohol premises trading between midnight and 6am, including rates by rateable value, available reductions, and how it interacts with EMROs and Cumulative Impact Policies. England and Wales only.

Management consultancy: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your management consultancy, business advisory firm or head office (SIC division 70) meets its obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Non-metallic mineral products manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your non-metallic mineral products business (SIC division 23) meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal workplace items every manufacturer shares, then the sections for placing products on the market and for environmental permits and emissions trading. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Specialist hospitality licences and permissions

Gaming machines, civil wedding venues, tourist accommodation registration, HMO licensing and other specialist permissions for hospitality businesses with specific activities or business models.

Wholesale licences for controlled and excise goods

Some goods cannot be wholesaled without a specific authorisation: alcohol needs AWRS approval, medicines need a Wholesale Dealer's Authorisation, veterinary medicines need a VMD authorisation, and controlled drugs need a Home Office licence. Tobacco and alcohol also carry excise duty and track-and-trace duties. Get the right authorisation before you trade — buying from or selling as an unapproved wholesaler is an offence.

Run a compliant real estate business

Whether you are an estate agent, a lettings agent, a landlord or a housing provider, the same core duties apply: protect the personal data you hold, do not discriminate, insure your employees, manage health and safety, and keep your premises and any common parts fire-safe. Put these in place before you take on staff, clients or tenants.

Run an occupational pension scheme

Trust-based occupational pension schemes are not FCA-authorised — they register with and are supervised by The Pensions Regulator. Trustees and scheme operators must register the scheme, meet the statutory funding regime for defined benefit schemes, satisfy trustee knowledge and understanding requirements, connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, and — where the scheme is used for automatic enrolment — meet the qualifying-scheme requirements including the default fund charge cap.

Environmental obligations for retailers

Environmental compliance for retail businesses. Covers WEEE registration, packaging waste, EPR, carrier bag charge, single-use plastics ban, Simpler Recycling, and DRS preparation.

FCA authorisation application readiness checklist

Audit-style yes/no checklist confirming your Part 4A application is ready before submission via FCA Connect. Covers business plan, governance, threshold conditions, people, dual regulation and fees.

Navigate Section 106 agreements

How to understand, negotiate, and manage Section 106 planning obligations. Covers what can be requested, the three legal tests, viability negotiations, and modifying existing agreements.

SDLT reliefs for corporate property transactions

Comprehensive guide to SDLT reliefs for property developers, corporate groups, and charities. Covers group relief, reconstruction relief, acquisition relief, and charities relief - including clawback rules and the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief.

Control and monitor air emissions

How to comply with air emissions permit conditions for Part A and Part B regulated activities. Covers the difference between Environment Agency and local authority regulation, emission limits, MCERTS monitoring, stack testing, abatement equipment, and reporting requirements.

Run a compliant wholesale business

Whatever you wholesale, the same core duties apply: protect the personal data you hold, do not discriminate, insure your employees, manage health and safety in the warehouse, keep your premises fire-safe, and deal with your waste responsibly. Put these in place before you add the rules for the goods you trade.

Holiday let tax obligations and business rates

Tax obligations and business rates for self-catering holiday accommodation from April 2025. Covers the FHL regime abolition, capital gains tax on sale, business rates eligibility in England and Wales, and VAT on holiday accommodation.

Nutrient neutrality compliance for development

How to achieve nutrient neutrality for development in affected catchments. Covers mitigation options, Natural England's calculator, credit schemes, and the wastewater upgrade timeline.

Running an Airbnb in Scotland legally

Plain-English guide for new short-term let hosts covering all the legal requirements for running an Airbnb or holiday let in Scotland, including the mandatory licensing scheme, safety conditions, fees, planning, and penalties.

FCA threshold conditions reference

Quick-reference page for the five FCA threshold conditions in Schedule 6 FSMA 2000 (as substituted by FSA 2012) and supplemented by SI 2013/555. Sets out the statutory wording, the FCA Handbook (COND) practical application, common refusal and cancellation grounds under section 55J, and the regulatory business plan evidence the FCA expects.

Registering as a waste carrier

How to register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer. Covers upper tier and lower tier registration, fees, exemptions, and renewal requirements for businesses that transport waste.

Understanding contaminated land law for businesses

An overview of contaminated land law in the UK and how it affects businesses. Explains the Part 2A regime under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the planning system approach to contamination, the Environmental Damage Regulations 2015, and how the polluter-pays principle determines who is liable for remediation costs.

Coke and petroleum manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your coke or petroleum business (SIC division 19) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and major-hazard items, then the environmental and emissions items, then the product and duty items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Paper manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your paper business (SIC division 17) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace items every mill shares, then the sections for environmental permits and water, and for placing products on the market. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Apply for planning permission

Step-by-step guide to submitting a planning application in England. Covers application types, required documents, fees, the determination process, and what happens after submission.

Get FCA authorisation to carry on a regulated activity

How a firm gets Financial Conduct Authority Part 4A permission under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Covers the general prohibition, identifying your regulated activities, meeting the threshold conditions, the Connect application, Senior Managers and Certification, and anti-money laundering obligations.

Respond to an SRA investigation of your law firm

What to do when the SRA investigates your firm. Covers types of investigation, your cooperation obligations under the Code of Conduct, obtaining specialist regulatory defence representation, and how to respond to conditions, fines, referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, and intervention. Includes appeal rights and escalation scenarios.

Get a water discharge permit

How to get an environmental permit for discharging liquid effluent or waste water to surface water or groundwater. Covers standard rules and bespoke permits, groundwater protection, monitoring requirements, and the difference between environmental permits and trade effluent consent.

NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit compliance

How to complete the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) annual self-assessment if you handle NHS patient data. Covers the two assessment tracks (CAF-aligned and standards-based), evidence gathering, submission process, and achieving Standards Met status.

Forestry compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for forestry and logging businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every forestry business shares, then the section for what you do — growing trees and nursery supply, felling and harvesting, selling timber, or forestry support and tree surgery.

Insurer authorisation and prudential rules

Effecting and carrying out contracts of insurance are PRA-regulated activities: an insurer or reinsurer needs Part 4A permission, applied for through the Prudential Regulation Authority with the FCA's consent, and must then hold capital and governance to the Solvency UK prudential standard. Life insurers have additional long-term fund rules, and all insurers must meet operational resilience requirements.

Meet pre-contract disclosure requirements for credit

How to provide the required pre-contract information to borrowers before entering a consumer credit agreement. Covers the SECCI form, adequate explanations duty, creditworthiness assessments, APR disclosure, and agreement execution requirements.

Comply with lifting equipment regulations (LOLER)

How to meet your legal duties under LOLER 1998. Covers thorough examination requirements, competent person inspections, safe working loads, and record keeping for all lifting equipment.

Convert farm buildings to holiday accommodation

How to get planning permission, meet building regulations, and understand the post-April 2025 tax treatment when converting agricultural buildings to holiday lets. Covers Class Q permitted development, fire safety requirements, and the impact of FHL tax regime abolition on farm diversification.

Due diligence when buying potentially contaminated land

How to carry out environmental due diligence before purchasing land that may be contaminated. Covers the Part IIA liability regime, Phase 1 desk studies, Phase 2 ground investigations, environmental insurance, and contract protections to manage your exposure.

Set up security staff training

How to establish and manage ongoing training for private security employees. Covers initial SIA qualifications, mandatory refresher training, first aid maintenance, conflict management CPD, lone worker training, and record-keeping obligations.

Financial intermediary compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for financial intermediaries — insurance distributors and loss adjusters, advisers and intermediaries, investment firms and trading venues, fund managers, and pension administrators. Work through the duties every regulated firm shares, then the sections for what you do.

Run a shooting, game or wildlife management business

Shooting and game businesses are regulated through firearms certificates from the police, statutory close seasons for game birds and deer, and wildlife law that controls what may be killed or taken and how. Since 2007 no game licence or game dealer licence is needed in England and Wales, but releasing gamebirds on or near protected sites now needs a licence, and deer management runs on different rules in Scotland.

SIA employer compliance checklist

Compliance audit checklist for private security employers. Covers SIA licensing, refresher training, first aid, DBS checks, right to work verification, badge display, working time records, and risk assessments for lone working and violence.

Comply with work at height regulations

How to meet your legal duties under the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Covers risk assessment, the hierarchy of controls, equipment selection, and specific requirements for ladders, scaffolds, and fragile surfaces.

Run an estate agency: rules for selling property

Estate agents who act for buyers and sellers must register with HMRC for anti-money-laundering supervision before they trade, join a government- approved redress scheme, follow the Estate Agents Act conduct duties, and make sure every property they market has a valid EPC. These duties apply across the UK; the EPC rule applies in England and Wales.

Anti-money laundering compliance for law firms

How to meet anti-money laundering obligations as a solicitor or law firm in England and Wales. Covers the firm-wide risk assessment, client due diligence in conveyancing and trust work, source of funds verification, legal professional privilege, suspicious activity reporting, and what the SRA expects as your AML supervisor.

Cultural activities: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your cultural activities operation (SIC division 91) meets its obligations. Work through the universal premises and employment items every business shares, then only the zoo and dangerous-wild-animal licensing items if you keep animals. If you answer no to any item that applies to you, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Noise and vibration exposure values quick reference

Quick-reference lookup for noise and vibration exposure action values, hearing protection selection using the SNR method, and hand-arm vibration daily exposure calculation using the HSE points system.

Printing business: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your printing or media reproduction business (SIC division 18) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and employment items every print works shares, then the solvents, inks and emissions items if you use solvent-based chemicals. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Repair and installation: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your repair and installation business (SIC division 33) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workshop and employment items every business shares, then only the specialist-approval items for the systems you actually work on. If you answer no to any item that applies to you, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Producer responsibility for electronics manufacturers: WEEE and batteries

A guide for makers, importers and brand-owners of electrical and electronic equipment and batteries (SIC divisions 26 and 27). It explains the ongoing producer-responsibility duties — working out whether you count as a producer, joining a compliance scheme, registering, reporting what you place on the market, financing collection and recycling, and applying the crossed-out wheeled-bin marking — as distinct from one-off product conformity.

Comply with vibration at work regulations

How to meet your legal duties under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. Covers hand-arm vibration (HAV), whole-body vibration (WBV), exposure limits, and health surveillance for HAVS.

Start a private security business

End-to-end guide to starting a private security business in the United Kingdom, covering company registration, mandatory insurance, SIA Approved Contractor Scheme registration, recruiting licensed staff, compliance systems, and industry standards including BS 7499 and BS 7858.

Access farming grants and capital funding

How to find and apply for government capital grants covering farm equipment, technology, infrastructure, and emergency recovery. Covers the Farming Investment Fund, Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, Farming Recovery Fund, and the closed Countryside Productivity scheme. Grant programmes change frequently so always check GOV.UK for current application rounds.

Run a campsite, caravan site or holiday park

Outdoor accommodation runs on a site licence from the local authority, then layers of safety duties that scale with what you offer — pitch electrics, private water supplies, pools and waterslides, and adventure activities for under-18s each bring their own regime. This guide covers the site itself; food, alcohol and employment route onward.

Apply for FCA authorisation under Part 4A FSMA

How to apply to the Financial Conduct Authority for permission to carry on regulated activities under Part 4A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Covers scoping permissions, preparing the regulatory business plan, Senior Managers approvals, the Connect submission, fees, and the statutory determination clock.

Apply for a species licence from NatureScot

How to apply for a NatureScot species licence when your business activities could affect protected species in Scotland. Covers European Protected Species licences, the three derogation tests, application process, and what happens if you proceed without a licence.

Archaeological assessment for development in Scotland

When archaeological assessment is required for development in Scotland, how to carry out desk-based assessment and evaluation, mitigation strategies including preservation in situ and excavation, and your obligations under the Treasure Trove system.

Get SRA authorisation for your law firm

How to apply to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for authorisation to set up a law firm in England and Wales. Covers choosing your entity type, the mySRA application process, appointing compliance officers, fees, and expected processing times.

Electronics and electrical equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

A self-audit checklist for makers of electronic and electrical products (SIC divisions 26 and 27). Work through the yes/no items to confirm you meet your product-conformity, producer-responsibility and workplace health and safety obligations before you place products on the market.

SIA training qualifications reference

Quick-reference table of all SIA-approved qualifications by licence type, including core qualifications, refresher requirements, first aid prerequisites, guided learning hours, and approved awarding organisations.

Public administration: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your public administration body (SIC division 84) meets its workplace, equality and data-protection obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Apply for creative industry funding and grants

Funding opportunities for creative businesses - Arts Council Project Grants, BFI Film Fund, Screen Scotland, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Northern Ireland Screen, and Innovate UK creative R&D funding.

Community Infrastructure Levy explained

What the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is, how it's calculated, when it's payable, and how it differs from Section 106 agreements. Essential reading for developers undertaking new construction.

Comply with SRA Standards and Regulations

Implement the SRA Standards and Regulations in your law firm. Covers the SRA Principles, Codes of Conduct for solicitors and firms, appointing compliance officers, conflict checks, confidentiality systems, supervision, and file management.

Comply with contaminated land remediation requirements

What to do when land you own or occupy is identified as contaminated under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Covers the Part 2A regime, remediation notices, voluntary remediation, working with regulators, and the penalties for non-compliance.

Real estate compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for real estate businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every property business shares, then the section for what you do — estate agency, lettings, landlording, social housing or a licensed venue. Several duties differ by nation, so check the rule for where you operate.

Right to work checks for hospitality employers

Step-by-step guide to conducting right to work checks for hospitality staff, including the three-step process, online checking service, repeat checks for time-limited permission, and avoiding civil penalties of up to 60,000 pounds per illegal worker.

Run a hotel, B&B or guest house

Serviced accommodation carries duties most other businesses never meet — strict liability for guests' property under the Hotel Proprietors Act 1956, a legal duty to keep records of every guest aged 16 or over, and premises safety obligations that are stricter wherever people sleep. This guide covers the duties that attach to letting rooms, and routes onward for food, alcohol and employment.

Appointed representative or direct FCA authorisation: choosing your route

A strategic comparison of the three routes into the FCA-regulated perimeter: direct authorisation, becoming an appointed representative (AR) of an authorised principal, or joining a third-party network. Covers what each route can and cannot reach, where liability sits, the post-2022 oversight regime, and the practical trade-offs for small firms.

Employment law for hospitality businesses

Tips and service charge distribution, DBS checks for staff working with children, workplace pensions, and employment law considerations specific to hospitality sector employers.

Hire purchase and conditional sale agreements

How hire purchase and conditional sale agreements work under UK consumer credit law. Covers title retention, the one-third rule for protected goods, voluntary termination rights, pre-contract requirements, early settlement, and the FCA motor finance review.

Invasive species obligations in Scotland

Your legal obligations regarding invasive non-native species in Scotland. Covers criminal offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Schedule 9 species, Japanese knotweed management, and NatureScot's species control orders.

Scottish heritage compliance checklist for construction

A pre-project checklist for construction businesses and developers working in Scotland to verify compliance with heritage protection requirements. Covers scheduled monuments, listed buildings, conservation areas, and HES inventoried sites.

Trade effluent consent for discharging to sewers

How to get consent from your water company to discharge trade effluent into public sewers. Covers what counts as trade effluent, when consent is needed, how to apply, prohibited substances, consent conditions, charges, and enforcement under the Water Industry Act 1991.

Understanding heritage protection in Scotland

An overview of Scotland's heritage protection framework, covering the role of Historic Environment Scotland, the main designation types (scheduled monuments, listed buildings, conservation areas, inventoried sites), the policy framework (HEPS and NPF4), and how these affect businesses operating in or near the historic environment.

Crown Estate Offshore Wind Seabed Leasing

Securing seabed rights is the critical first step for offshore wind projects in UK waters. The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland manage competitive leasing rounds with option fees, operational rent, and up to 60-year lease terms.

Offshore Wind Development Consent Orders (DCO)

Offshore wind projects over 100MW in English territorial waters require a Development Consent Order from the Secretary of State. Understand the specific thresholds, fees, timelines and 7-stage process for offshore wind NSIPs.

Understanding legal services regulation in the UK

How the regulation of legal services works in England and Wales under the Legal Services Act 2007. Explains the role of the Legal Services Board, approved regulators, reserved legal activities, and the regulatory objectives that shape how law firms and individual lawyers are supervised.

Apply for a water abstraction licence

How to apply for a licence to abstract water from rivers, streams, boreholes, or other sources. Covers the 20 cubic metres per day threshold, licence types, pre-application enquiries, Environmental Impact Assessment, annual charges, and devolved nation requirements.

Apply for scheduled monument consent in Scotland

How to apply for scheduled monument consent (SMC) in Scotland. Covers when consent is needed, what class consents allow without individual application, the HES application process, documentation requirements, and penalties for unauthorised works. Scotland has approximately 8,200 scheduled monuments.

Data protection for security CCTV and body-worn cameras

Data protection obligations for private security companies operating CCTV systems and body-worn cameras. Covers the two legal frameworks (UK GDPR and the Surveillance Camera Code), data protection impact assessments, signage, retention periods, and responding to subject access requests.

Get authorised as a payment institution or e-money institution

How a payments or fintech firm gets Financial Conduct Authority status to provide payment services or issue electronic money. Covers the authorised payment institution and small payment institution regimes under the Payment Services Regulations 2017, the authorised e-money institution and small e-money institution regimes under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, safeguarding of relevant funds, initial capital, and anti-money laundering obligations.

Planning for small sites (under 10 units)

Streamlined planning guidance for small residential developments (1-9 units) in England. Covers what counts as minor development, simplified requirements, exemptions, and how to navigate the process efficiently.

Use mobile work equipment safely

How to comply with PUWER Regulations 25-30 for mobile work equipment such as forklift trucks, dumpers, excavators, and tractors. Covers roll-over protection, seatbelts, visibility, traffic management, and operator training.

Work with Tree Preservation Orders

How to identify Tree Preservation Orders on your site, apply for consent to carry out works to protected trees, and comply with conservation area tree notification rules. Covers penalties for contravention and protections for ancient woodland.

Commercial waste management for hospitality businesses

How to manage commercial waste from hospitality premises including duty of care obligations, using registered waste carriers, cooking oil disposal, food waste separation under Simpler Recycling, and trade effluent consent for kitchen waste.

Comply with debt collection rules

How to collect consumer debts compliantly under FCA rules. Covers CONC 7 requirements for arrears and default handling, forbearance obligations for customers in financial difficulty, default notice requirements, communication standards, vulnerable customer identification, and enforcement restrictions for improperly executed agreements.

Manufacture weapons and ammunition: licensing and major-accident control

Making firearms, ammunition, propellants or explosives (SIC 25.40) is a controlled activity that you cannot start without the right authorities in place. This guide takes you through registering as a firearms dealer and the section 5 authority for prohibited weapons, the explosives manufacture and storage licence, and the major-accident controls (COMAH) that apply once you hold qualifying quantities.

Outdoor Learning and Forest School in Early Years

Requirements for outdoor learning and forest school provision in early years settings, including risk assessment, insurance, qualifications, and health and safety compliance.

Apply for an SIA licence

Step-by-step guide to applying for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence. Covers which licence type you need, what documents to prepare, and how to complete the online application.

Protect tenant deposits within 30 days

Legal requirement to protect tenant deposits with government-approved scheme within 30 days. Covers deposit protection deadlines, deposit amount limits, and geographic differences across the UK.

Renew your SIA licence

How to renew your SIA licence before it expires, including the new mandatory refresher training requirements for door supervisors (from April 2025) and close protection operatives (from April 2026).

Wildlife management and muirburn licensing in Scotland

How the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 changes wildlife management practices in Scotland. Covers the new muirburn licensing regime, trap and snare reforms, glue trap ban, and general licences for bird control.

Apply for listed building consent in Scotland

How to apply for listed building consent (LBC) in Scotland. Covers when consent is required, the three categories of listing, the application process through local planning authorities, HES consultation requirements, and penalties for unauthorised works. Scotland has approximately 47,000 listed buildings.

BNG for small sites (under 10 units)

Biodiversity net gain guidance specifically for small residential developments. Covers exemptions, the Small Sites Metric, simplified assessments, and cost-effective delivery options for SME developers.

Comply with high-cost short-term credit rules

Additional compliance requirements for firms providing high-cost short-term credit (HCSTC), including the price cap regime, enhanced affordability assessments, mandatory risk warnings, repeat borrowing interventions, and persistent debt rules for credit cards.

Cyber security for financial services firms

FCA operational resilience requirements for cyber security, including the 31 March 2025 compliance deadline, SM&CR responsibilities for cyber risk, third-party outsourcing requirements, and preparing for DORA-style regulations.

Financial adviser and intermediary rules

If you advise on investments, arrange mortgages or credit, or run a claims management company, your rules sit on top of the duties every regulated firm shares: the right FCA permission for each activity, qualification and professional standing requirements for retail investment advice, suitability assessment and reporting, and the dedicated regimes for mortgage intermediaries, credit intermediaries and claims management.

Health and safety for retail premises

Retail-specific health and safety obligations. Covers lone working, violence prevention, manual handling, display screen equipment, fire safety, first aid, and shoplifting incident procedures.

Legal professional privilege and SAR reporting: when the exemption applies

When legal professional privilege exempts solicitors from suspicious activity reporting obligations and when it does not. Covers the POCA 2002 s.330(6) privilege exemption, the meaning of privileged circumstances, the crime/fraud exception that disapplies it, SRA guidance on the boundary, and a practical decision framework for fee earners facing reporting decisions.

Manage food waste in Wales: mandatory separation rules for food businesses

How to comply with Wales mandatory food waste separation requirements under the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023. Covers the 5kg per week threshold, separate collection duties, approved containers, and NRW enforcement.

National Minimum Wage, tips, and pay compliance in hospitality

How to ensure NMW compliance in hospitality, covering the accommodation offset, why tips cannot count towards minimum wage, unpaid trial shift rules, uniform deductions, and avoiding HMRC naming and shaming.

Plan and carry out lifting operations safely

How to plan safe lifting operations under LOLER 1998 Regulation 8. Covers the roles of appointed person, crane supervisor, and slinger/signaller, lift plan contents, tandem lifts, and pre-lift checks.

Planning for medium sites (10-49 units)

How the proposed medium sites category (10-49 units) would provide proportionate planning requirements for SME housebuilders. Covers the proposals, what applies now, and what this means for your development.

Section 106 for small sites

How Section 106 planning obligations apply to small and medium residential developments. Covers what SME developers can expect, affordable housing thresholds, and proportionate negotiation.

Security staff onboarding checklist

Pre-deployment checklist for onboarding new private security employees. Covers SIA licence verification, DBS checks, right to work, site-specific induction, lone working briefing, conflict management, communication equipment, and emergency procedures.

Understand how the Consumer Duty applies to credit products

How the FCA Consumer Duty applies to consumer credit providers, brokers, and debt collectors. Explains the four outcomes for credit products, the annual board report requirement, how the Duty interacts with existing CONC rules, and current FCA supervisory priorities.

Holiday let licensing and registration by nation

Licensing and registration requirements for self-catering holiday accommodation across the UK. Covers Scotland's mandatory short-term let licence, Wales's registration scheme from October 2026, England's planned registration, and planning rules including the London 90-night limit.

Alcohol licensing requirements

How to obtain a premises licence to sell alcohol in England and Wales, including application process, fees, designated premises supervisor requirements, and licensing objectives.

Handle client complaints at your law firm

Set up and run a complaints procedure at your SRA-regulated law firm. Covers the mandatory written procedure, the 8-week resolution window, informing clients about the Legal Ombudsman, and using complaints data to improve your service.

COLP and COFA: Roles, Responsibilities, and Reporting

Understand what the Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) do, who can be appointed, what records they must keep, how to report to the SRA annually, and how to manage non-compliance within your firm.

Comply with tipping law in hospitality

How to comply with the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 as a hospitality employer. Covers fair distribution rules, written policies, tronc schemes, VAT treatment, and the upcoming October 2026 consultation requirements.

Conduct and document affordability assessments for consumer credit

How to conduct, evidence, and document affordability assessments when lending to consumers. Covers the distinction between creditworthiness and affordability, income verification, expenditure analysis, proportionality, vulnerable customers, and the Consumer Duty overlay for credit products.

Discharge planning conditions

How to discharge planning conditions attached to your permission. Covers pre-commencement conditions, the application process, fees, and what to do if conditions cannot be met.

Do I need FCA authorisation?

Whether you need Financial Conduct Authority authorisation depends on the "perimeter" set by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). This explainer walks you through the four-part test in s.19 and s.22, names the activities that pull non-financial businesses inside the perimeter, and points you to the FCA's Perimeter Guidance manual for marginal cases.

Handle consumer credit complaints and the Financial Ombudsman

How to set up internal complaints handling for consumer credit, meet the 8-week resolution deadline, issue final response letters, and prepare for Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) referrals. Covers FOS jurisdiction, award limits, case fees, common credit complaint categories, and root cause analysis requirements.

Handle early settlement and withdrawal requests

How to handle consumer requests for early settlement and exercise of the 14-day right of withdrawal from credit agreements. Covers settlement statement obligations, rebate calculations, compensation caps, partial settlements, and the separate withdrawal process under section 66A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Late night refreshment licence

Understand when you need authorisation to supply hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am. Covers what counts as late night refreshment, exemptions, local authority deregulation powers, the application process, and devolved nation differences.

Manage client money under SRA Accounts Rules

Set up and manage a client account to comply with the SRA Accounts Rules 2019. Covers what counts as client money, when to pay money in and out, reconciliation procedures, residual balances, record keeping, and the accountant's report requirement. Applies to all SRA-authorised firms in England and Wales.

Environmental Permits for Manufacturing

Understand when you need an environmental permit and how to apply for one.

Insurance and pension compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for insurers, reinsurers and occupational pension schemes. Work through the duties every business in this division shares, then the section for what you operate — answer only the items for the activities you actually carry on.

Meet packaging producer responsibility and Plastic Packaging Tax

If you make plastic packaging, you have reporting and tax duties on top of the product rules. This guide takes you through extended producer responsibility for packaging (EPR) — collecting and reporting packaging data and, for larger producers, paying disposal fees — and the Plastic Packaging Tax, which applies once you manufacture 10 or more tonnes of finished plastic packaging in a 12-month period.

UK REACH Chemical Compliance

Understand and comply with UK REACH chemical registration requirements for manufacturers and importers.

Make a planning appeal

How to appeal a planning refusal or non-determination to the Planning Inspectorate. Covers appeal types, deadlines, the process, and how to prepare an effective case.

PII renewal checklist for law firms

Annual checklist to verify your firm's PII renewal is on track. Covers claims history, risk management review, insurer notification, SRA confirmation, cover verification, and run-off planning.

Client account reconciliation: quick reference

Quick reference for client account reconciliation obligations under the SRA Accounts Rules 2019. Covers five-weekly reconciliation requirements, central record keeping, SRA reporting triggers, accountant's report deadlines, and COFA responsibilities.

Comply with UK Emissions Trading Scheme

How to meet your annual UK ETS compliance obligations if you operate a regulated installation, run aviation operations, or will be covered by maritime expansion from 2026. Covers the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) cycle, surrendering allowances, and penalties for non-compliance.

Investment firm and trading venue rules

If you deal in investments as agent, hold client money or assets, or operate a trading venue, your rules sit on top of the duties every regulated firm shares: the dealing permission, best execution when executing client orders, the CASS client money and custody rules, the IFPR prudential regime with its remuneration code, and — for venues — MTF and OTF authorisation or recognised investment exchange status and transaction reporting.

Manage security staff working time

Working time compliance for private security employers. Covers maximum weekly hours, night worker limits, rest break entitlements, opt-out agreements, and lone working risk assessments for security staff.

Run a petrol station or forecourt

Storing and dispensing petrol is one of the most tightly regulated retail activities. You need a petroleum storage certificate before you store petrol, strict forecourt safety procedures under health and safety law, and — only for very large storage sites — COMAH major-hazard duties. Most forecourts also sell age-restricted products, so the shop side carries its own rules.

Temporary Event Notice (TEN)

Give a Temporary Event Notice to your local authority to carry out licensable activities at a temporary event. Covers eligibility limits, the notice process, police and environmental health objections, and late TENs.

Working time and rest breaks in hospitality

Working Time Regulations explained for hospitality employers including maximum hours, rest break entitlements, split shift rules, night work limits, young worker protections, and the 48-hour opt-out.

Ecology survey requirements for construction in Scotland

When you need ecological surveys for construction and development projects in Scotland, what types of survey are required, seasonal timing constraints, and how survey results feed into NatureScot licensing and the planning process.

Environmental Permit - Part A(1) Installation

Large combustion plant (50MW thermal input and above) and other major industrial installations require a Part A(1) environmental permit.

Get a short-term lets licence in Scotland

Complete guide to Scotland's mandatory short-term lets licensing scheme including licence types, mandatory conditions, and application process.

Plastic Packaging Tax

Tax obligations for businesses importing or manufacturing plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content.

Premises licence (alcohol)

Apply for a premises licence to sell or supply alcohol from your business in England and Wales. Covers the application process, fees, the four licensing objectives, mandatory conditions, and what happens after you receive your licence.

Register as an SIA Approved Contractor

How to apply for and maintain SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) status. Covers eligibility requirements, choosing a UKAS-accredited assessment body, preparing for assessment, and maintaining your approved status.

Commercial kitchen safety: gas, ventilation, and legionella

Gas safety obligations, ventilation and extraction requirements, interlock systems, and legionella risk management for hospitality premises with commercial kitchens and water systems.

Data protection for retail businesses

UK GDPR compliance for retail businesses. Covers customer data handling, CCTV obligations, marketing consent, loyalty programme data, breach response, and ICO registration fees.

Heritage offences and penalties in Scotland

Quick reference for criminal offences and penalties relating to unauthorised works to scheduled monuments, listed buildings, and conservation areas in Scotland. Covers enforcement notices, prosecution, and sentencing.

Protect your creative content and clear music rights

Understanding copyright for creative businesses - automatic protection for creative works, copyright duration, music rights clearance for commercial use, and penalties for infringement.

Sell firearms, shotguns and air weapons

Dealing in firearms, shotguns or ammunition by way of trade requires registration as a firearms dealer with the police, a transaction register, secure premises, and certificate checks on every sale. Air weapons need a certificate check for Scottish buyers, and realistic imitation firearms carry their own restrictions.

Set up camping or glamping on your farm

How to comply with planning permission, licensing, and safety requirements when offering camping or glamping on agricultural land. Covers the 60-day exemption, caravan site licensing, and glamping-specific regulations.

Social care workforce qualifications and staffing

Workforce requirements for social care providers across the UK. Covers the Care Certificate and qualifications in England, mandatory SSSC registration in Scotland, and staffing level principles for care homes and domiciliary care.

Food waste management

Comply with food waste segregation and disposal duties.

Safeguarding and mental capacity in healthcare

Legal duties for safeguarding vulnerable adults and making decisions for people who lack mental capacity.

Which forestry rules apply to your business

Forestry businesses — woodland managers, tree nurseries, felling and harvesting contractors, timber merchants and tree surgeons — answer to the Forestry Commission and its devolved counterparts for consents, HSE for one of the highest-hazard work environments in any sector, and a set of product and plant-health regimes for moving trees and marketing timber. What you must do depends on what you do: grow, fell, sell or support. Work out which you are and follow the right guide.

Apply for a tree felling licence

How to apply for a tree felling licence from the Forestry Commission under the Forestry Act 1967. Covers when a licence is required, exemptions, the application process, restocking conditions, and devolved arrangements for Wales and Scotland.

Check if nutrient neutrality affects your site

Find out if your development site is in a nutrient-affected catchment. Lists all 27 affected catchments across 74 local planning authorities and explains how to check your site.

Claim CIL exemptions and relief

How to claim exemptions and relief from the Community Infrastructure Levy. Covers self-build, charitable relief, social housing relief, and exceptional circumstances relief.

Get a personal licence to sell alcohol in Scotland

How to obtain a Scottish personal licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including the SCPLH qualification, Disclosure Scotland check, application process, fees, renewal, and refresher training requirements.

Personal licence (alcohol)

Obtain a personal licence to authorise and supervise alcohol sales in England and Wales. Covers the accredited qualification, DBS checks, application process, and your ongoing responsibilities as a personal licence holder.

Data protection and CCTV for hospitality businesses

How to comply with UK GDPR and PECR in hospitality, covering CCTV use, guest booking data, wifi login data, loyalty programmes, marketing consent, and handling subject access requests.

Fund and asset management rules

If you manage portfolios or collective investment funds, your rules sit on top of the duties every regulated firm shares: the managing investments permission, the UCITS management regime for retail funds, the UK AIFM regime — including, for full-scope managers, depositary appointment and the AIFM remuneration rules — and climate-related financial disclosure for larger managers.

Health, safety and fire requirements for hospitality venues

Health and Safety at Work Act compliance, fire safety risk assessments, and fire and rescue authority audits for hospitality premises including hotels, restaurants, pubs and venues with sleeping accommodation.

Insurance distribution and loss adjusting rules

If you distribute insurance — broking, advising on or arranging policies — or adjust losses and handle claims, your rules sit on top of the duties every regulated firm shares: the insurance distribution permission and conduct rulebook, demands-and-needs and product information duties, client money protections, professional indemnity cover, and the permissions and professional standards for loss adjusting and claims handling.

Managing noise from hospitality premises

How to prevent and manage noise complaints from hospitality premises including statutory nuisance law, planning conditions, licensing conditions, soundproofing options, and the Agent of Change principle.

Meet your environmental permit and emissions trading duties

If you run a cement, lime, glass or ceramics kiln or furnace, your installation needs an environmental permit, and cement, lime and glass production fall within the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. This guide takes you through the installation permit and your greenhouse-gas monitoring, reporting and allowance duties.

Professional indemnity insurance for law firms

Understand your professional indemnity insurance obligations as an SRA-authorised law firm. Covers how to obtain qualifying PII, the annual renewal cycle, what the SRA Minimum Terms require, run-off cover on closure, and the SRA Compensation Fund levy.

Environmental Permit - Medium Combustion Plant

Medium combustion plant (MCP) with thermal input between 1MW and 50MW require an environmental permit from the Environment Agency.

Grid Connection for Energy Projects

How to connect electricity generation projects to the UK grid. Understand the difference between DNO and National Grid routes, the G99 connection standard, and the April 2025 Ofgem reforms that promise £5 billion in savings and faster connection timelines.

AI compliance for financial services firms

How FCA-regulated firms must govern AI through Consumer Duty, SM&CR, and operational resilience frameworks. Covers model risk management, transparency obligations, and practical steps for compliant AI deployment in financial services.

Apply for ABS licensing as an alternative business structure

How to apply for alternative business structure (ABS) licensing from the SRA when non-lawyers will hold ownership or management roles in your law firm. Covers when ABS status is required, the role of the HOLP and HOFA, the application process, fees, conditions, and ongoing compliance.

Comply with SRA Price Transparency Rules

Publish pricing information for specified legal services as required by the SRA Transparency Rules. Covers which services are in scope, what must be disclosed, format and website requirements, and how to monitor and update your published information.

Manage environmental permits and water at your paper mill

Paper-making is water-intensive and tightly regulated for its discharges. A mill typically needs an environmental permit for the installation, a trade effluent consent for what it discharges to the sewer, and — if it takes water from a river or borehole — an abstraction licence. This guide takes you through all three.

Transfer a premises licence to a new owner

How to transfer a premises licence when buying or taking over licensed premises in England and Wales. Covers the transfer application, obtaining consent, immediate effect requests, interim authority notices, and what to do when the licence holder has died or become insolvent.

Working in conservation areas in Scotland

What you need to know before carrying out works in a conservation area in Scotland. Covers when conservation area consent is needed for demolition, additional planning controls on external appearance, the offence of unauthorised demolition, and how conservation area status interacts with listed building consent. Scotland has over 600 conservation areas.

Comply with Renting Homes (Wales) Act landlord duties

Wales-specific landlord obligations under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, which came into force on 1 December 2022. Covers Section 173 notice periods, occupation contracts, and differences from England's Housing Act 1988.

Consequences of carrying on regulated financial business without FCA authorisation

A strategic explainer of what happens if you breach the FSMA general prohibition. Covers the criminal offence under section 23, civil unenforceability of customer contracts under sections 26 to 28, FCA enforcement powers, and personal consequences for directors. Read alongside the guide on whether you need FCA authorisation.

Contaminated land compliance checklist

A yes/no checklist for verifying contaminated land compliance, covering council records checks, environmental investigations, planning conditions, remediation requirements, and ongoing monitoring obligations.

Film and TV production permissions and insurance

Legal requirements and permissions for film and TV production in the UK - including location permissions, council filming fees, insurance requirements, and drone filming regulations.

Operating in a short-term let control area

Additional planning requirements in designated short-term let control areas in Scotland, including Edinburgh and parts of Highland.

Wales Visitor Levy: what accommodation providers need to know

How the Wales Visitor Levy works, including who it applies to, rates, exemptions, and how to collect and remit it. Councils can choose to adopt the levy from April 2027.

Which insurance and pension funding rules apply to your business

This guidance is for the risk carriers and scheme operators themselves — insurers, reinsurers and occupational pension schemes. Insurers and reinsurers are dual-regulated: the Prudential Regulation Authority for prudential soundness and the Financial Conduct Authority for conduct. Trust-based occupational pension schemes follow a different regime under The Pensions Regulator. Work out which you are and follow the right guides — and if you broker or advise on insurance rather than carry the risk, different rules apply.

Appoint and manage a Designated Premises Supervisor

Every premises licence authorising alcohol sales must name a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). Learn about the DPS role, how to appoint one, and when you can apply for an exemption.

Purchase biodiversity credits

How to buy statutory biodiversity credits and off-site habitat bank units when on-site delivery cannot achieve the required 10% net gain. Covers the delivery hierarchy, costs, and purchasing process.

Alcohol licensing in Scotland

How alcohol licensing works in Scotland under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 — five licensing objectives, Licensing Boards, premises and personal licences, occasional licences, overprovision, and minimum unit pricing.

Section 75 claims and connected lender liability

What Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 means for lenders, card issuers, and retailers. Explains how connected lender liability works, the GBP 100 to GBP 30,000 threshold, which agreements qualify, what does not apply, how claims work in practice, and the difference from voluntary chargeback.

Social care business planning and insurance

Business planning essentials for social care providers. Covers insurance requirements, Care Act 2014 obligations in England, financial viability and fee setting, and a checklist of what you need before applying to register.

Apply for a club premises certificate

How qualifying clubs (social clubs, sports clubs, working men's clubs) can apply for a certificate to supply alcohol to members without needing a DPS or personal licence holder.

Licence reviews and enforcement action

How premises licence reviews work, who can trigger them, what happens at a hearing, possible outcomes including suspension and revocation, and your right of appeal.

Respond to planning refusal

What to do when your planning application is refused. Understand your options: amend and resubmit, negotiate, appeal, or move on. How to decide which approach is right for your situation.

Responsible alcohol retailing

Checklist of mandatory conditions and best practices for responsible alcohol retailing — Challenge 25, refusal logs, staff training, irresponsible promotions ban, and more.

Alcohol licensing in Northern Ireland: court-granted licences

How Northern Ireland's court-based alcohol licensing system works, including the 13 licence categories, 5-year renewal requirement, the role of the PSNI, the surrender principle, permitted hours, and how the system differs from England, Wales, and Scotland.

Minimum unit pricing compliance for alcohol retailers

How to calculate and apply minimum unit pricing for alcohol sales in Scotland, including enforcement and penalties.

Outdoor trading and pavement licensing for hospitality

Pavement licences for outdoor seating, A-board permits, and requirements for placing tables, chairs and signage on public highways for pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Which creative arts and entertainment regulations apply to your business

Performing arts companies, theatres, live music venues, dance companies and arts centres share workplace-safety duties, then carry premises licensing and child performance licensing duties that depend on what you stage and who performs.

Which real estate rules apply to your business

"Real estate" covers very different businesses — selling property as an estate agent, letting and managing homes as a lettings agent, owning and renting out property as a landlord, providing social housing, or running a licensed venue. Each has its own regulator and rules, on top of the duties they all share. Work out which description fits you and follow the right guide.

Prepare for Scotland's visitor levy

What accommodation providers in Scotland need to know about the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, including Edinburgh's scheme starting July 2026.

Register as an alcohol wholesaler (AWRS)

If you sell alcohol to other businesses, you must register under the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) with HMRC. Learn who needs to register, how to apply, and due diligence obligations.

SIA licence types and requirements

Quick reference for all SIA licence types, which security activities require a licence, and current fees.

Vary your premises licence

How to apply for full and minor variations to your existing premises licence — change hours, layout, activities, or conditions.

Verify SIA licence validity for your employees

How to use the SIA licence checker to verify employee licences before deployment. Covers your legal obligations under section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and what to do if a licence is expired, suspended, or revoked.

Alcohol licensing in Northern Ireland

How alcohol licensing works in Northern Ireland — court-granted licences, 5-year renewal, 13 licence categories, permitted hours, and the role of PSNI.

Meet energy efficiency standards for let properties

Legal requirement to achieve minimum EPC rating E for residential lettings. Covers England and Wales MEES regulations, exemptions, and penalties for non-compliance.

Which financial intermediary rules apply to your business

This guidance is for the firms around the risk carriers and lenders — insurance distributors and loss adjusters, financial advisers and mortgage or credit intermediaries, investment firms and trading venues, fund managers, and pension administrators. Almost all are FCA-authorised and share a core of conduct duties. Each then has its own permission and rulebook. Work out which you are and follow the right guides.

Register your visitor accommodation in Wales

Step-by-step guide to registering visitor accommodation with the Welsh Revenue Authority from 1 October 2026, as required by the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025.

Apply for an alcohol premises licence in Scotland

Step-by-step guide to obtaining a premises licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including operating plans, Licensing Board applications, and premises managers.

FHL tax regime abolition - what's changed

Summary of the furnished holiday lettings tax regime abolition from April 2025, including the tax advantages removed, transitional arrangements, and what to do now.

HES Managing Change guidance for construction

Overview of the HES Managing Change in the Historic Environment guidance note series and the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland (HEPS). Explains how these policy documents affect planning decisions for construction projects near heritage assets, and how to use them to support consent applications.

Which building and landscape services regulations apply to your business

Building and landscape services businesses — commercial cleaning, window cleaning, pest control, landscaping and grounds maintenance — carry workplace- safety duties and face extra environmental and chemicals obligations wherever they use biocidal products, professional pesticides, handle green waste or work near invasive non-native species.

Which management consultancy regulations apply to your business

Head offices, management consultancies and business advisory firms carry the same workplace-safety and employment duties as any office employer. On top of that, if you market your services by email, text or automated calls, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) apply.

Which basic metal manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every basic-metal producer shares the same high-hazard workplace-safety foundation, then the rules diverge by scale, process and what you place on the market — whether you run a steelworks, a non-ferrous smelter, a foundry, or a nuclear-fuel processing site.

Which coke and petroleum manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Refining crude oil and making coke and other refined petroleum products is among the highest-hazard manufacturing there is, sitting inside the COMAH major-accident regime, environmental permitting and the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, with fuel quality standards and excise duty on top.

Which cultural activities regulations apply to your business

Libraries, archives, museums, galleries, historic sites, botanical gardens, zoos and nature reserves share the universal workplace-safety, fire, equality and data-protection duties that apply to any public-facing premises. Zoos and keepers of dangerous wild animals carry additional local-authority licensing on top.

Which fabricated metal manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every metal fabricator shares the same workplace-safety foundation, then the rules diverge by what you make and whether you place products on the market — from general fabrication to conformity-marked structural steel, pressure vessels, or firearms and ammunition.

Which furniture manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Furniture manufacturers share workplace-safety duties built around wood dust and finishing chemicals, then carry the furniture fire-safety and product-safety rules before anything reaches the market.

Which machinery and equipment manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Manufacturing machinery and equipment — engines, pumps, machine tools, lifting and handling equipment, agricultural machinery and industrial plant — shares a workplace-safety foundation, then carries a heavy set of product-conformity duties before anything reaches the market.

Which non-metallic mineral products manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Manufacturing glass, ceramics, cement, lime, plaster, concrete products and cut stone carries workplace-safety and respirable-silica duties, then diverges by whether you place construction or consumer products on the market and how energy-intensive your process is.

Which other manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Makers of jewellery, musical instruments, sports goods, games and toys, medical and dental instruments, brushes and other goods share a workshop-safety foundation, then carry the product-conformity regime that fits what they make — general product safety, toys, PPE, medical devices or hallmarking.

Which paper manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Making pulp, paper, board and paper products carries workplace-safety duties, a water-intensive environmental footprint, and product rules covering general product safety, food-contact materials and packaging producer responsibility.

Which printing and media reproduction regulations apply to your business

Printers and reproduction businesses — commercial, digital and screen printers, packaging printers, and reproduction of recorded media — carry workplace-safety duties and face extra environmental and chemicals obligations wherever they use solvent-based inks and cleaning chemicals.

Which public administration regulations apply to your organisation

Public administration bodies — government departments, local authorities, defence establishments and agencies carrying out compulsory social security — share cross-cutting workplace duties with every employer, but carry additional equality and data-protection obligations. This router points you to the spine and the compliance checklist.

Which repair and installation regulations apply to your business

Repairing, maintaining and installing machinery and equipment shares a workplace-safety foundation, then adds a specific approval or certification for the systems you work on — gas, refrigeration and air-conditioning, pressure systems, aircraft or ships.

Which rubber and plastic manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every rubber and plastics manufacturer shares the same workplace-safety and chemicals foundation, then the rules diverge by what you make and whether you place products on the market or produce packaging.

Which tobacco manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Manufacturing tobacco products carries a heavy, product-specific regulatory load on top of the usual factory duties: standardised packaging, product standards and ingredient reporting, excise duty and the track-and-trace system.

Which wood products manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Sawmilling and making wood products — sawn timber and veneers, plywood and panels, joinery and packaging, cork and other wood goods — shares a workplace-safety foundation built around wood dust, then carries its own market rules: legal timber sourcing, construction-products marking, formaldehyde limits, general product safety and wood-packaging treatment.

COMAH Compliance for Chemical Sites

Meet COMAH requirements for sites holding dangerous substances.