Operations & Compliance
Run it right.
Once you're trading, the focus shifts from setting up to staying compliant, keeping records, and protecting what you've built. These guides cover the operational realities most founders only discover when something goes wrong.
The most common operational mistakes UK founders make are not dramatic — they are mundane. Missing a record-keeping obligation, ignoring GDPR, failing to protect a brand name, or having no plan for what happens if they want to exit. These guides address each one directly.
Legal requirement
Bookkeeping basics
What records you must keep, for how long, what expenses are allowable, and how to set up a simple bookkeeping system without an accountant.
OpenLegal requirement
GDPR & data protection
A plain-English guide to UK GDPR for small businesses — ICO registration, privacy policies, lawful basis for processing, and what to do if there is a breach.
OpenBrand protection
Intellectual property
How copyright, trademarks, patents and design rights work in the UK — what you automatically own, what you need to register, and how to protect your brand.
OpenPlanning ahead
Exit strategies
Selling your business, management buyout, closing a limited company, or passing it on — the main exit routes and what each involves for UK founders.
OpenFree tool
Business name checker
Check whether your preferred business name is available to register as a UK limited company with Companies House.
OpenFree template
Website privacy policy template
A GDPR-compliant privacy policy template for a standard UK small business website. Copy, paste, and update the highlighted sections.
OpenAll guides are grounded in official UK sources — GOV.UK, HMRC, the ICO, the Intellectual Property Office, and Companies House. For complex situations, always take professional advice.
Partner offers
Exclusive reader offers
Two offers we genuinely recommend to UK founders. We earn a small referral fee if you sign up — you pay nothing extra.
Business bank account
Reader offerTide Business Account
£200 free cash
£75 when you complete £100 of card transactions within 30 days, plus a further £125 when you deposit £5,000 within 7 days. No credit check, open in 5 minutes.
REFER200Business credit card
Reader offerCapital on Tap business credit card
7,500 free points
Get 7,500 points (worth £75) when you complete your first card transaction within 30 days. 1% uncapped cashback. Up to £250k credit limit.
SETTINGUP18+, UK residents only. Offers are subject to each provider's terms. Tide: £75 paid after completing £100 of card transactions within 30 days of opening, plus a further £125 paid after depositing £5,000 within 7 days (total £200, code REFER200). Capital on Tap: 7,500 points (≈ £75) after first card transaction within 30 days; credit subject to status. We may receive a commission if you sign up — it doesn't change the offer to you.