Website Rules in the United Kingdom
UK websites operate under the UK GDPR and PECR. The ICO enforces privacy rules with fines up to £17.5 million. Companies House registration must be displayed.
Data protection authority:
Information Commissioner's Office
(ICO)
Requirements
4
country-specific rules
Guides
3
guides available
Specific requirements for United Kingdom
Companies House number
UK limited companies must display their company registration number, registered office address, and place of registration on their website.
UK GDPR
The UK retained GDPR after Brexit as UK GDPR. Requirements are mostly the same as EU GDPR, but the supervisory authority is the ICO, not an EU DPA.
PECR (cookies and email)
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations govern cookies and electronic marketing. Fines can reach up to £500,000 (separate from UK GDPR fines).
Accessibility
Public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. The EAA does not apply in the UK post-Brexit, but the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments for disabled users.
Enforcement in United Kingdom
The ICO fined British Airways £20 million for a 2018 data breach affecting 400,000 customers. For smaller organisations, the ICO has issued enforcement notices to businesses failing to respond to subject access requests within the 30-day deadline, with penalties starting at £500 for repeat offenders.
Official resources
Guides for United Kingdom
GDPR Compliance Checklist for Your Website (2026)
A practical GDPR checklist for small business websites. Check cookies, privacy policy, consent forms, and tracking scripts.
Do I Need a Cookie Banner? A Simple Decision Guide
Not sure if your website needs a cookie banner? This simple guide helps you decide based on what your website actually does.
Website Security Checklist: 10 Things to Check Today
A practical security checklist for small business websites. 10 things you can check and fix today without technical expertise.
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