Sohrab Vazir
Consultant | Founder | Global Citizen | Writer
3 UK legislations that business owners should be aware of
There are various UK legislations that business owners must comply with. The UK can be a fantastic place to start a business. However, it is imperative that you are aware of your legal obligations under applicable legislations as a business owner.
I have navigated the path of business ownership in one of its worst versions. I was an immigrant subjected to strict business visa terms, 22 years of age and a solo tech founder. So, I know how difficult the whole entrepreneurship can be for each individual. And in this journey, it’s easy to miss some important things.
So, in this article, I will highlight three UK legislations that every business owner must be aware of.
Data Protection & GDPR
(Almost) every business retains and handles personal data. This may seem like one of those “complex corporate” things, it’s crucial to understand.
This is a legal area which is subject to misunderstanding, primarily in individual and small business owners. The issue with this part is that many business owners are unaware of.
Let me clarify this part with a small case study/example. If you use a website, whether through CMS platforms such as WordPress or Wix, or even code it from scratch, you are collecting user data.
In the UK, the key legislations that business owners must be aware of are:
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Also, ensure that you follow the ICO’s guidelines for your obligations under GDPR.
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 governs the implementation of non-discrimination and equality in the UK. This UK legislation is applicable to individuals in various contexts, including work.
As a business owner, it is important to firstly be aware of your own rights as an individual. It also governs your stakeholder management and how you conduct matters with each, such as customers and staff.
Intellectual Property (IP)
Intellectual property will primarily concern trade marks and patents. While each of the aforementioned may be applicable to a business, the majority of businesses are concerned with trade marks.
Trade marks are applicable to every business as every business requires an identity, where name is the core element.
Thus, it is key to understand your branding rights and limitations. This will be attained via sufficient understanding of how trade marks work in the UK.
The relevant UK legislations on trade marks for business owners is the Trade Marks Act 1994.
Additionally, business owners may access resources provided by the Intellectual Property Office.
Patents, on the other hand, are concerned with respect to rights over an “invention” in the form of products and/or processes. In the UK, the legislation concerning business owners is the Patents Act 1977.
Are you a business owner and need consultancy on your operations? Book an initial consultation with me for a thorough evaluation………Â
About | My name is Sohrab Vazir. I’m a UK-based entrepreneur and business consultant. At the age of 22, and while I was an international student (graduate), I started my own Property Technology (PropTech) business, StudyFlats. As a solo founder, I grew my business to 30+ UK cities, with a global client base across 100+ countries. Following the Pandemic killing my precious work/business, I now transfer my knowledge to other entrepreneurs.