Introduction
Running a business online comes with a myriad of responsibilities. Not least among them is ensuring your website meets the legal compliance standards set out by UK law. This can be a complex process, with different laws applying to various types of businesses.
To make this task easier, we’ve put together a comprehensive checklist that covers the main areas of legal compliance for UK websites. This includes cookie compliance, privacy compliance, accessibility compliance, and registered identity compliance. This checklist is designed as a general guide to help you audit your website and ensure it adheres to the most crucial legal standards.
For a more in-depth understanding of these compliance requirements, we highly recommend you to peruse our comprehensive guide on Website Compliance in the UK.
Disclaimer
This checklist is a general guide and may need to be modified or expanded based on your specific needs or changes in UK law. While we strive to keep our content updated and accurate, laws and regulations frequently change. Therefore, this information should not be taken as legal advice. Always consult with a legal expert to ensure you’re meeting all compliance requirements. The use of this checklist does not establish any form of attorney-client relationship.
1. Cookie Compliance
| Compliance Item | Brief Description | Relevant For |
|---|---|---|
| Informative cookie banner/pop-up | Users must be informed about the use of cookies on the site. | All websites using non-essential cookies |
| Clear option to accept or reject cookies | Users should have the ability to accept or refuse cookies. | All websites using non-essential cookies |
| Differentiate between essential and non-essential cookies | Essential cookies can be used without consent, but non-essential cookies require explicit consent. | All websites using cookies |
2. Privacy Compliance
| Compliance Item | Brief Description | Relevant For |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive privacy notice | The privacy notice should detail what data is collected and how it’s used. | Most websites, particularly those using contact forms & cookies |
| Detailed cookie disclosure | The disclosure should explain how cookies are used on the site. | All websites using non-essential cookies |
| Clear website disclaimer | The disclaimer should outline liability for use of the website and its information. | Most websites offering advice or linking to external URLs |
3. Accessibility Compliance
| Compliance Item | Brief Description | Relevant For |
|---|---|---|
| Website is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust | It should be easy to perceive the website’s content, operate its functions, understand its information, and robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents. | Primarily public sector bodies, but good practice for all businesses |
| Adherence to WCAG 2.1 standards | By meeting these standards, you ensure that your website is accessible to all users. | Primarily public sector bodies, but good practice for all businesses |
4. Other Compliance
| Compliance Item | Brief Description | Relevant For |
|---|---|---|
| Display required registered information | The website must display the company’s name, registered number, place of registration, registered office address, contact details, VAT number (if applicable), and details of any trade body or regulator registration. | Limited companies |
| Display primary place of business address | Sole traders and partnerships must display the address of the primary place of business. | Sole traders and partnerships |
| Indicate if the company is being wound up | This information should also be displayed on the website. | All businesses (where applicable) |
| Website terms and conditions of use | This document will set out the legal rights and obligations between you and the users of your website. This should cover items such as ownership and copyright of the website’s content, acceptable and unacceptable use of the website and content, registration, password and security procedures, availability of the website, use of cookies, links to other websites | All websites |
