Guides · Websites
What Must a UK Small Business Website Include by Law? A Plain-English Guide
The legal basics every UK small business website needs in 2026, from business details and a privacy notice to cookie consent, explained in plain English.
This isn’t legal advice, and if you’re unsure about anything you should check with the ICO, Companies House or a solicitor. But most small businesses need the same few things on their website, and many sites are missing at least one of them.
1. Your business details
Under the UK’s Electronic Commerce Regulations, a business website should clearly show:
- Your business name
- A geographic address (not just a PO box)
- An email address
- Your company registration number and where you’re registered, if you’re a limited company
- Your VAT number, if you’re VAT registered
- Your trade body or professional registration, if you’re in a regulated profession
Limited companies also need to show their registered name, registered number, the part of the UK they’re registered in (for example, England and Wales) and their registered office address.
The footer of every page is a good place for these. Many small business websites leave out the company number, which is an easy fix.
2. A privacy notice
If your website collects any personal information, such as through a contact form, quote form, newsletter sign-up or booking system, you need a privacy notice under UK GDPR. It should explain in plain English:
- Who you are and how to contact you
- What information you collect and why
- What you do with it and who you share it with (for example, your email provider or booking system)
- How long you keep it
- People’s rights, including asking to see or delete their data
- How to complain to the ICO
The ICO has free templates and guidance for small businesses. Link to your privacy notice from your footer and next to any form.
3. Cookies and consent
Cookies are small files websites store on visitors’ devices. Under the UK rules, you generally need consent before setting cookies that aren’t strictly necessary.
| Type of cookie | Usually needs consent? |
|---|---|
| Strictly necessary (like keeping items in a shopping basket) | No |
| Analytics (counting visitors) | Traditionally yes. Some low-risk analytics may be exempt under recent changes, so check the ICO’s current guidance |
| Advertising and tracking (like social media pixels) | Yes |
If you ask for consent, it should be a real choice. “Reject” should be as easy as “Accept”, and non-essential cookies shouldn’t load until someone agrees.
A simple way to avoid the problem is to use fewer cookies. Many small business websites load tracking scripts they don’t need.
4. If you sell online
If customers can buy from your website, extra rules apply, mainly from the Consumer Contracts Regulations. You’ll generally need:
- Clear prices, including VAT and delivery costs
- Your terms and conditions
- Information about the customer’s right to cancel, usually within 14 days for most goods and many services bought online
- A returns and refunds policy
5. Honest claims and reviews
Anything you say on your website should be true and backed up. That includes claims like “London’s number one plumber” and reviews. Since April 2025, the UK’s competition regulator can fine businesses directly for fake or misleading reviews. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers what’s allowed.
A quick checklist
- Business name, address and email on the site
- Company number, registered office and place of registration (limited companies)
- VAT number (if registered)
- Privacy notice, linked from the footer and forms
- Cookie consent, if you use non-essential cookies
- Terms, cancellation and returns information (if you sell online)
- Data protection fee paid to the ICO, if you need to
Want us to check your website?
We include these basics on every website we build. If you’re not sure whether your current site covers them, book a free website check and we’ll take a look. See also our website design service.
