Category

Legal advice

The small business legal advice section provides in-depth guides and features on tax, company and employment law for UK SMEs and sole traders.

A guide to IP

There are four main types of intellectual property (IP) – patents, trademarks, designs and copyright.

Legal advice

Legal advice

Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Act (1998) covers personal data (including audio and video) which identifies living, individual persons. It covers information held about customers and employees on both paper-based records and on a computer.

Legal advice

Cutting staff hours

We have just bought a small shop and Post Office, the shop employs three staff members, which we have inherited. The owners previous to us were not in good health, which is why they had more staff than we actually need and more than the business can sustain. Is there any way we could cut their hours by law, or to even get rid of them altogether? None of them have a written contract and all of them are 60+ in age.

Legal advice

Maternity cover for your business

If you decide to get help to run your business while you're on maternity leave, even part time, it is important to have a short-term maternity cover agreement in place and allow ample time for training and a handover.

Legal advice

Understanding health and safety: the laws explained

This factsheet explains the main steps you must take to ensure your business complies with health and safety regulations.

Legal advice

Top 10 Legal Tips

Running a business will present you with many unexpected legal considerations; smallbusiness.co.uk's Top Ten Legal Tips help to guide you through the potential legislative minefield.

Legal advice

Business Partnership with friends? You’ll need a shareholders agreement

If you are looking to set up a business in partnership with friends, then it's imperative to get professional advice and draw up a shareholders agreement, says Nigel Lander, specialist finance adviser at Business Link for London.

Legal advice

A guide to writing your terms of business

Terms of business (also known as terms and conditions) are vital, as they establish levels of responsibility for companies and their customers.

Legal advice

Business Partnership with friends? You’ll need a shareholders agreement

If you are looking to set up a business in partnership with friends, then it's imperative to get professional advice and draw up a shareholders agreement, says Nigel Lander, specialist finance adviser at Business Link for London.

Legal advice

A guide to writing your terms of business

Terms of business (also known as terms and conditions) are vital, as they establish levels of responsibility for companies and their customers.

Legal advice

Dealing with contracts

Contracts are often perceived as long-winded documents, so it can be all too easy not to pay them enough attention.

Legal advice

Ensure you set your payment terms

Small firms should clarify terms of business with their large customers from the outset of their trading relationship according to Clive Lewis, chairman of the Better Payment Practice Group (BPPG) - a service providing free advice on credit management.

Legal advice

How to develop your terms and conditions

Terms and conditions (also known as terms of trade), whether they apply to sales or services, are essential to your business as they set out the level of responsibilities that apply to you and your customers.

Legal advice

Steps to protect your business ideas

If you have thought of an idea on which to base your business, then it is certainly worth trying to protect it with the law, in case someone tries to copy your idea.

Finding and selling to customers

How Amazon Ads is supporting entrepreneurs

Digital ad campaigns aren't just for big businesses. Here's why you should be considering it...

Partner content

What are the funding options for hospitality businesses?

Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.

Financing

6 types of business funding for UK tech companies

Here we explore six types of business funding that can help your UK tech company expand and reach its goals.

Business Loans

A guide to getting a small business loan

Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.