Legal Requirements for UK Business Websites

A UK business website should identify the trader clearly, describe offers honestly and provide the information required by the activities taking place on the site. The exact rules differ according to business structure, sector, audience and whether the site collects data or completes online contracts.

This guide is a practical checklist, not legal advice. Information was checked on 21 July 2026. Verify current requirements with the relevant regulator or adviser before relying on the website for a high-risk or regulated transaction.

1. Display the correct business identity

Visitors should be able to identify who operates the site and how to contact the business. Do not use a brand name alone when the legal trader is different.

Business information to check

Business type	Information commonly required or expected
Limited company	Registered company name, registered number, registered office address and place of registration; regulated status where applicable
Limited liability partnership	Registered name, number, registered office and place of registration
Sole trader or partnership using a business name	The proprietor or partners' required identity details and an address where business documents can be served, as applicable
Online seller	Trader identity, geographic address, contact details and pre-contract information relevant to the sale

The best placement depends on the information. A footer can provide persistent legal identity links, while contact and terms pages can give fuller details. Required information should be easy to find and not hidden behind a form.

2. Explain prices and offers accurately

Prices, discounts, availability, results and comparisons must not mislead. State whether VAT is included where relevant and disclose unavoidable charges before the customer commits. Do not advertise a low headline price that most customers cannot obtain without clearly explaining the conditions.

If a service requires an individual quotation, explain the factors that affect price instead of inventing a representative fixed price. If a claim depends on evidence, keep the evidence and review the claim when circumstances change.

3. Provide the right information before online sales

For distance contracts with consumers, information is normally required before an order is placed. Depending on the transaction, this can include:

• the main characteristics of the goods, services or digital content;
• the trader's identity and contact information;
• the total price and additional charges;
• payment, delivery and performance arrangements;
• the complaints process;
• cancellation rights, conditions and model information where applicable;
• contract duration and termination conditions;
• compatibility or functionality information for digital content where relevant.

The order process should make clear when the customer is taking on an obligation to pay. Confirm the contract in a durable form such as email and ensure fulfilment practices match the published terms.

4. Publish an accurate privacy notice

If the website uses personal information, provide privacy information at the point of collection and through an accessible notice. Describe:

• the organisation responsible for the data;
• what information is collected;
• the purpose and lawful basis;
• who receives it;
• international transfers where relevant;
• retention;
• individual rights;
• how to complain to the organisation and the ICO.

From 19 June 2026, organisations must have a process for handling data protection complaints. Provide a clear route, acknowledge a complaint within 30 days, investigate it and communicate the outcome.

5. Configure cookies and similar technologies

Audit analytics, advertising, embedded media, chat, payment, preference and security technologies. Classify their purpose before deciding whether consent or an exception applies. The rules changed under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, so an old cookie-policy template may no longer explain the position accurately.

Do not place technologies that require consent before the user has made a valid choice. Make refusal or withdrawal reasonably easy and keep the public explanation consistent with actual behaviour.

6. Protect intellectual property and permissions

• Use photographs, fonts, code, video and text under appropriate licences.
• Keep evidence of licences and attribution requirements.
• Obtain permission before publishing identifiable customer material or testimonials where required.
• Do not copy competitors' text, reviews or imagery.
• Make ownership of commissioned website materials clear in supplier agreements.

7. Consider accessibility and equal access

Public-sector bodies have specific website and mobile application accessibility duties. Businesses providing goods and services should also consider reasonable adjustments and non-discrimination duties. Use accessible design, content, forms and support routes rather than relying only on an accessibility overlay or an automated score.

8. Add sector-specific checks

Additional rules may apply to financial promotions, healthcare, legal services, estate agency, food, alcohol, gambling, employment, charities, competitions, children, age-restricted products and regulated professions. A generic website checklist cannot authorise a regulated claim.

9. Keep evidence and review dates

• Assign an owner for legal pages and consent settings.
• Record when each notice and term was checked.
• Review pages when suppliers, tracking, prices or fulfilment change.
• Test forms, consent withdrawal and complaint routes.
• Retain previous versions where contractual or compliance evidence may matter.

Official starting points

• GOV.UK: company information requirements
• GOV.UK: online and distance selling
• ICO advice for small organisations
• Business Companion online business guidance

The next practical step is to list the website's legal trader, data collection, tracking, sales process and regulated activities, then verify each area against current official guidance.