Checklist

The business website checklist: the essentials in one place

Own your domain name

Every .uk address, including .co.uk, is run by Nominet, the UK's national domain registry. You don't buy from Nominet directly: you register through one of its accredited registrars, and the name is held in the registrant's name.

Make sure that registrant is your business, not your web designer or an old employee. If you aren't sure who your registrar is, Nominet's lookup tool will tell you.

Use HTTPS on every page

Since Chrome 68 in July 2018, Chrome has marked every plain HTTP page as "Not secure". A certificate doesn't have to cost anything: Let's Encrypt issues them free, and they're valid for 90 days, so your host should renew them automatically.

Make it usable for everyone

GOV.UK says that all UK service providers have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Public sector websites must meet WCAG 2.2 at level AA, and it's a sensible benchmark for any business.

The W3C's WCAG overview explains the standard, which was published in October 2023.

Ask before you set cookies

Under PECR you must tell people about the cookies and similar technologies you use, and get consent for anything that isn't covered by an exception. The exceptions include things that are strictly necessary for the service someone has asked for.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 added exceptions for some analytics and for remembering how someone wants the site to look, as long as you explain them and give a free, simple way to object. Advertising cookies always need consent. The ICO sets out each exception.

Check the speed

Google's Core Web Vitals measure loading, responsiveness and visual stability. A good score is a Largest Contentful Paint within 2.5 seconds, an Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less, and a Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less. web.dev explains each metric.

Get the ownership in writing

Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the author of a work is the first owner of its copyright, unless they made it as an employee. An assignment of copyright only takes effect in writing, signed by or for the person assigning it.

So if a freelancer or agency builds your site, agree in the contract what you'll own when it's finished. The wording is in section 90 of the Act.

A note on this guide

This is general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules change, so please check the official sources we link to before you make a decision.