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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

From pay, hours and time off to discipline, grievance and hiring and firing employees, find out about your legal responsibilities as an employer.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

New initiatives put small firms in the spotlight

17 November 2020

A new collaboration between Yell and Amazon means that millions of small businesses can now be found using Alexa; and a start-up is offering grants to help SMEs make TV ads.

Since October, over 2.5 million Yell customers in the UK have become discoverable via Alexa thanks to a collaboration between Yell and Amazon. This agreement is in addition to similar arrangements that Yell has in place with Apple and Bing. The rich content includes consumer reviews, opening hours and other business information.

According to Yell, ownership of voice-activated smart speakers in Great Britain has grown by 35% since 2019 and over two-thirds of owners interact with their voice assistants on a daily basis. Now, thanks to the collaboration, Brits can ask Alexa to find them a local plumber or a nearby hairdresser.

Claire Miles, ceo of Yell, said: "We're always looking at how we can broaden the channels from which our customers can be found. With many of us spending more time in our homes, it's key to enable end consumers to search for and find the local businesses or services they need, through their preferred choices of digital channel. This arrangement with Amazon … now makes it even easier for end consumers to ask for local business information straightaway."

Meanwhile, another new initiative has been launched to help UK small businesses advertise on TV. Barter start-up baggl has pledged £1 million worth of TV advertising grants for small businesses.

The initiative is being supported by AdSmart from Sky and it aims to give 300 small businesses match-funded TV advertising grants worth £3,500. Applicants will be required to match-fund this with an equal contribution of £3,500, totalling £7,000 for an AdSmart local TV campaign, including video production.

Each successful applicant will receive a 30-second localised TV commercial, including video production. The ads will be broadcast on a regular basis over 30 days across Sky's premium channels including Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, MTV, National Geographical and Sky Atlantic. The ads will be targeted based on customer attributes including age, gender, income, profession and residential status and within a 2.5-mile radius of their desired postcode.

According to baggl, campaigns will be turned around and ready for broadcast in one to two weeks, allowing small businesses to get on to television leading up to Christmas and into 2021. Applications close on 31 December 2020.

Baggl is a new online marketplace about to launch, where business and freelance members can trade products and services with one another using a combination of cash and barter trade credits.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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