What shapes a website for the British market
British visitors notice the details: a cookie banner that plays fair, a real company behind the page, prices that include VAT. Regulators notice the same things.
| Topic | What it means for your website | Decide early |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies and analytics | The electronic communications regulations require consent before non-essential cookies are set. Changes in force since February 2026 exempt a few low-risk uses, such as counting visitors, as long as people are told and can object. Advertising and tracking cookies still need consent, and rejecting has to be as easy as accepting | Which tools the site uses, and which of them wait for consent |
| Company details | A UK limited company must show its registered name, company number, place of registration and registered office address on its website. A business that sells or advertises online also gives a contact email and, if it is registered for VAT, its VAT number | The legal details for the footer and the contact page |
| Data protection | Enquiry forms and newsletter sign-ups collect personal data under UK GDPR. That means a privacy notice, a lawful basis for each use and, for most organisations, a fee paid to the regulator | What each form collects, and how long it is kept |
| Marketing sign-ups | Marketing emails and texts to individuals need consent or the existing-customer exception. Messages to corporate addresses follow lighter rules, though sole traders count as individuals | The wording at each sign-up point, and where consent is recorded |
| Accessibility | The Equality Act expects service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which reaches websites. Websites run by public bodies have to reach WCAG 2.2 at Level AA and carry an accessibility statement, and many private buyers now ask for the same | The standard you will build to, and whether a statement is needed |
| Prices and wording | Prices shown to consumers include VAT, and the full price has to be clear from the start. British spelling, date order and terms such as enquiry and postcode tell visitors the site was written for them | Whether the site shows prices, and who edits the copy |
| Domain | A .co.uk or .uk address signals a British business and is registered through registrars accredited by Nominet, the registry | Which names you hold, and that they are registered to the company |
Journeys we build into British websites
Four journeys, two for your visitors and two for the people who run and inherit the site.
Search to enquiry
For service firms whose customers compare several suppliers before they write.
- Visitor searches for the service
- Lands on a page written for that need
- Reads proof and pricing guidance
- Sends an enquiry
- Receives an acknowledgement
- Enquiry logged with its source
Cookie choice
For every site that uses analytics or advertising tools.
- First visit shows a banner
- Accept and reject carry equal weight
- Visitor counting runs under the exemption
- Advertising tags wait for consent
- Choice remembered
- Preferences reopened from the footer
Editing without a developer
For marketing teams that publish news, case studies and landing pages.
- Editor creates a page from a template
- Image descriptions and headings required
- Preview on phone and desktop
- Approver signs off
- Page published
Launch to handover
For buyers who want to know what they will hold when the work is done.
- Site launched on your hosting account
- Domain and accounts confirmed in the company's name
- Documentation and credentials delivered
- Editors trained
- Support arrangement starts
What we build
Bespoke design
A site drawn for your brand and your customers' questions, custom from the first sketch, with components your team can reuse.
Lawful cookie handling
A consent tool set up so that tags fire only when they may, with accept and reject presented as equals.
Legal footer and policies
Company details, privacy notice, cookie information and terms placed where the rules and your customers expect them.
Accessible build
Design and code to WCAG 2.2 at Level AA, tested with a keyboard and a screen reader, with an accessibility statement where you need one.
Content management
A CMS matched to how your team works. Our comparison of headless and traditional CMS explains the options.
Handover pack
Documentation, credentials, a list of third-party services and a training session, itemised in the proposal so nothing is left vague.
What we need from you
- Your registered company details and VAT number
- A list of the analytics and advertising tools you use or plan to use
- Access to the current site, its hosting and its analytics
- Brand guidelines and existing content
- The person who will look after the site once it is handed over
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
A readiness checklist for a UK website project
Before design starts
0 of 8 checkedWhat to do next
Tell us what the site is for, who it has to persuade and what you have today. We will reply with a structure, the legal points that apply and a list of what you would receive at handover. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
Do we still need a cookie banner after the 2026 changes?
In most cases, yes. The changes created exemptions for a small set of low-risk purposes, including statistics about how the site is used, provided visitors are told and can object. Cookies for advertising, retargeting and most social media features still need consent before they are set. A site that only counts visitors under the exemption may not need a banner. Check the regulator's current guidance for your own setup.
What must a UK company website display?
A limited company shows its registered name, company number, the part of the UK where it is registered and its registered office address. A business that trades or advertises online also gives a way to contact it quickly, including an email address, and its VAT number where it has one. A site that collects personal data needs a privacy notice. Sellers to consumers have further duties on prices and cancellation rights.
Bespoke website or template: which do we need?
A template is enough when your offer is simple and looking like others in your field does no harm. A bespoke, or custom, site is worth its cost when the design has to carry a distinct brand, when the content does not fit a standard layout or when the site must connect to your own systems. We will tell you if a template would do the job.
What do we receive at handover?
The proposal lists it before work starts. Typically that is administrator access to every account the site depends on, the design files, written documentation, a record of third-party services with their costs, and training for your editors. Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement. Ask any supplier you are considering for this list in writing.
Where to go from here
Related serviceWebsite DesignWebsites designed as studio projects, with concept work to browse