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Checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant

  • Pre-filled - just tick as you go
  • Keep your website compliant with the law
  • Helps you identify any gaps on your site

This checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant allows you to quickly and easily check that your sales website complies with the law. It covers all of the legal requirements you must include on your website, including:

  • general business information;
  • privacy and cookies notices (to help you comply with GDPR requirements);
  • product or service information;
  • sales policies, and more.

This checklist is also included in the Starting an online business toolkit.

Q&A

  • When should I use this document?

    You can use this checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant at any time.

    You may wish to use this checklist before you launch your website to check you have covered everything, or you may have been running your website for a while and want to check you are doing everything correctly.

    If you change the way you run your business or website, you should use this checklist to make sure you are still complying with everything that’s required.

    This checklist is a helpful tool to audit your website and check you are complying with the law.

  • What does this document cover?

    This checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant tells you all of the essential requirements to include on a sales website, including:

    • Terms of use;
    • Privacy and cookies notices (to help with your GDPR requirements);
    • General business information;
    • Product or service information;
    • Sales policies and other terms and conditions;
    • Information required to be sent to the customer after they place an order; and
    • Age verification (if necessary).

    This checklist includes clear descriptions of each website requirement and directs you to where you can find further information on each aspect.

  • Why do I need this document?

    You are required by law to include certain information on your website. If you don’t include the right information you can be fined and you also risk damaging your business’s reputation and customer relationships.

    Using this checklist will help you check that you are covering all of the required information, or highlight any gaps that you need to fill.

  • Where can I find out more?

    If you haven’t included any of the requirements for your website, you can find further guidance on how to do so, and template documents, at Website content and terms of use.

    Template documents you should provide on your website include Privacy policy, Cookie policy and Website terms of use.

Related Toolkits

Starting an online business toolkit

This toolkit to start an online business includes all the legal documentation and know-how you need to set up a website and change your business to online sales. It comprises 9 key documents, including: separate cookie and privacy policies, and terms of use for your website; a customisable set of terms and conditions to cover you for the supply or goods or services or both; template invoices (VAT and non-VAT) and cancellation form; and a quick guide to customer rights, which are much broader for online sales than face-to-face transactions. Our helpful how-to guide will take you step-by-step through how to use the documents included in this pack, whether you are starting a new business or changing an existing business model to set up your own website and start selling online. Note that if you provide online services in the EEA, you will also need to ensure that you follow the rules of each EEA country you operate in. If you are not sure how this applies to you, you can access a specialist lawyer in a few simple steps using our Ask a Lawyer service.
  • How-to guide: Starting an online business toolkit
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Website terms of use
  • Terms and conditions
  • Cancellation form
  • VAT invoice
  • Non-VAT invoice
  • Quick guide to customer rights in online sales
  • Checklist of information to include to ensure your website is legally compliant

Small claims toolkit

This small claims toolkit guides you through the right process to follow if you want to make a straightforward small claim against someone, and contains a pack of all of the template documents you are likely to need. Use the small claims process to get back money you are owed for amounts less than £10,000 (for example, if a supplier has not sent you the right goods or you have not received payment from a customer). Documents provided in this small claims toolkit include: letter before action (also known as a letter of claim), which must be sent to someone before you sue them to set out what you are claiming; witness statement, which provides a template for any witness statements you are providing to ensure they are legally compliant; and letter of non-attendance for small claims hearing (if you want the court to judge your case on paper evidence rather than you attending a hearing). By using this small claims toolkit you can avoid the need to use a lawyer and maximise your chances of getting back money you are owed. It helps you avoid common mistakes that can reduce your chance of a successful claim.
  • How-to guide: Small claims toolkit
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Redundancy toolkit

This redundancy toolkit guides you through the key steps you need to take to make an employee redundant, and provides a pack of the relevant template documents you are likely to need. You will find guidance and a pack of 9 supporting documents, including letters, notices and agendas, for each step of the redundancy process: Initial steps (considering alternatives and reasons for redundancies); Creating a redundancy pool, applying selection criteria and notifying employees; Carrying out a consultation process; and Making a final decision, calculating payments and terminating employment. It also includes a template letter to offer alternative employment to employees who are at risk of being made redundant. By using this redundancy toolkit, you will ensure that your redundancy process is fair and legally compliant, which reduces the chance of any employees suing you. The guidance in this redundancy toolkit also helps you to ensure you do not make redundancies in a discriminatory way. Use this redundancy toolkit to ensure you are legally compliant without the need for a lawyer.
  • How-to guide: Redundancy toolkit
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Disciplinary toolkit

This disciplinary toolkit will guide you through the process of handling a disciplinary matter. It includes a how-to guide and a pack of 16 relevant documents you are likely to need. You will find template letters, agendas and other documents which can be used at each key step of the disciplinary process: Investigating the disciplinary matter (including suspension of your staff member if necessary and appropriate); Attending a disciplinary meeting with your staff member; Taking disciplinary action eg written warnings or dismissal; and Providing an opportunity for your staff member to appeal your decision. The toolkit also includes a list of common disabilities, so that you can check whether you need to make any reasonable adjustments at disciplinary meetings. This toolkit will help you to follow a fair and proper disciplinary process, which reduces the risk of your staff member taking legal action against you in future.
  • How-to guide: Disciplinary toolkit
  • Suspension letter pending investigation
  • Disciplinary investigation template
  • Invitation to attend a disciplinary hearing
  • Invitation to attend meeting to discuss sickness absence
  • List of common disabilities
  • Note taking template for disciplinary proceedings
  • Basic script for conducting a disciplinary hearing
  • First written warning for capability
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  • Final written warning for capability
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  • Dismissal letter
  • Invitation to attend a disciplinary appeal hearing
  • Basic script for conducting a disciplinary appeal hearing
  • Letter to confirm outcome of a disciplinary appeal