The Architects Registration Board (ARB), created by the Architects Act 1997, is the independent regulator of all UK registered architects. The register is searchable online. Also on the site are details of the complaint procedure, information leaflets, annual reports 2000/01 onwards, the architects’ Code of Conduct, and many other publications. The Architects Act 1997 is reproduced on the site.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulates advertising across all UK media, and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) is responsible for writing the advertising codes which the ASA applies. This is their joint web site. It includes the current editions of the CAP codes, ASA rulings made in the last five years, compliance reports, research reports, and annual reports.
This professional association for practitioners in regulatory and disciplinary law was established in 2002. The site’s Resources section includes lecture notes, seminar papers, and a quarterly bulletin containing short articles, legal updates and association news.
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates barristers called to the bar in England and Wales. Established in January 2006, it took over the regulatory function which had hitherto been carried out by the Bar Council alongside its representative work. Site content includes the BSB Handbook; the Barristers’ Register (of all barristers authorised to practise in England and Wales and holding a current practising certificate); information on requirements for qualifying as a barrister, including training and pupillage; and a section “Complaints and Professional Conduct”. This last includes information on the fitness to practise, complaints and disciplinary tribunal processes, and published disciplinary findings October 2002 onwards.
The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) is responsible for appointing and administering disciplinary tribunals for barristers in England and Wales facing charges of professional misconduct, and Inns’ Conduct Committee panels dealing with admission and disciplinary matters concerning student members of an Inn or applicants for admission. It was set up by the Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) at the request of the Bar Standards Board and became operational from 1 February 2013. Its web site includes policy and guidance documents, annual reports, newsletters, and details of both completed and forthcoming hearings.
Care Inspectorate is the day to day working name of the body whose formal name is Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS). It regulates and inspects social care, social work and child protection services in Scotland. Documentation on the site includes guidance, inspection reports, and documents relating to inspection, complaints and enforcement. Extensive links to legislation are provided via “Knowledge” within its linked microsite “The Hub”.
The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), formerly the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), is responsible for regulating and inspecting establishments and agencies which provide social care services in Wales. Links to legislation are provided in the section “What we do”, under the “About us” tab. Other sections have inspectorate reports, annual reports, newsletters, information leaflets, and details of the complaint procedure.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates all health and adult social care in England, and protects the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act. Established under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, it replaced the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission and the Mental Health Act Commission on 1 April 2009. The site provides background information, consultations, guidance and other documents, including key publications of the bodies which the CQC replaced.
The Charity Commission is the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales. Content here in the Charity Commission section of the GOV.UK web site includes a searchable database of all registered charities, which includes records of their financial histories; forms, guidance and policy documents; inquiry reports, case reports, decisions made, regulatory alerts and statements on live cases; statistics; and news and press releases.
CILEx Regulation (formerly ILEX Professional Standards) is the independent regulator of members of CILEx (the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) and of certain other individuals who are not members of CILEx but who have practice rights in the legal sector. Site content includes the CILEx code of conduct and various other codes and rules; a directory of disciplinary records; and a link to the directory of CILEx authorised practitioners on the CILEx web site.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the UK. Its functions include economic regulation, safety regulation, consumer protection, and the regulation of airports, air traffic services, airlines, tour operators and air travel organisers. In relation to airport operation services and the supply of air traffic services it also exercises competition powers concurrently with the Competition and Markets Authority. The site’s Aviation Legislation section may be found via Our Work > Publications > Search for a Publication > Publication Categories. It includes the full text of the loose-leaf publication CAP 393: Air Navigation: the Order and the Regulations, which sets out the provisions of the Air Navigation Order (both the 2009 and the 2016 versions) as amended and regulations made thereunder.
The Civil Service Commission is a non-departmental public body, independent of Government and of the Civil Service, which regulates recruitment to the Civil Service and hears complaints under the Civil Service Code. Site content includes the Civil Service Code and related guidance, recruitment guidance, annual reports 1996-1997 onwards, and information on the complaints procedure.
Regulation of claims management companies (which offer assistance with compensation claims for personal injury, mis-sold financial products and services, etc) in England and Wales was introduced under the Compensation Act 2006 and came fully into force on 23 April 2007. The regulatory responsibilities of the Claims Management Regulator (CMR), formerly a unit of the Ministry of Justice, passed to the Financial Conduct Authority on 1 April 2019.
The role of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in England and Wales is to regulate, monitor, report and advise on appointments made by UK ministers and by members of the National Assembly for Wales to the boards of around 1100 national and regional public bodies. The post was created in response to the publication in 1995 of the Nolan Committee’s first report on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850). Publications on the site include annual reports 1997-98 onwards, a code of practice, a complaints leaflet and other guidance.
The Commissioner regulates the process by which many of the public appointments in Northern Ireland are made. The post was created in 1995 in response to the publication of the Nolan Committee’s first report on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850). Publications on the site include annual reports 2000/2001 onwards, a code of practice, a complaints leaflet and other guidance.
Companies House, an executive agency of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, carries out a number of functions, including registration, relating to limited companies and company records in the UK. Basic company information, forms and guidance documents are accessible free of charge in this section of the GOV.UK web site. More detailed information and a range of other services are available as subscription services.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is a non-ministerial UK government department which is responsible for promoting business competition and preventing and reducing anti-competitive activities. It became fully operational on 1 April 2014, when it took over many of the functions of the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. Information here on the GOV.UK web site includes extensive guidance on competition law and consumer protection law.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) hears and decides appeals and other applications or claims involving competition or economic regulatory issues. It was created by the Enterprise Act 2002 and replaced the former Competition Commission Appeal Tribunal. Its jurisdiction extends to the whole of the United Kingdom. Information and guidance on appeals to the Tribunal includes the text of the Tribunal’s rules and a Guide to Proceedings. There are summaries and full documentation (judgments, transcripts, orders, etc) relating to all cases 2001 onwards.
The Competition Commission was an independent body responsible for investigating mergers, market shares and conditions, and the regulation of the major regulated industries, from 1 April 1999 (when it replaced the Monopolies and Mergers Commission) until 1 April 2014, when it was abolished and replaced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). This page of the GOV.UK site provides a link to the archived Competition Commission web site within the UK Government Web Archive, which includes reports of market investigations, merger inquiries, regulatory references and appeals, and a directory of completed inquiries, from 2003 to 2014. Earlier inquiry reports extending back to 1950 of the Competition Commission’s several predecessor bodies are also accessible via further links within the archived site.
Competition Law Review is a refereed online journal published twice a year from 2004 onwards by the Competition Law Scholars Forum (CLaSF), an organisation which aims to promote competition law scholarship in the UK, member states of the EU, and states which may accede to the EU. All issues to date are available to download free of charge.
This online research facility for compliance officers and others involved in the business of managing investments is provided by Jonathan E. Halsey, a certified public accountant. Coverage is worldwide and the range of links provided includes investment supervisors and regulators, governance codes, associations, exchanges, and investment firms and services.
The Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) is the Approved Regulator of costs lawyers in England and Wales. Documents accessible on its site include the costs lawyers’ Code of Conduct, Practising Rules, and Disciplinary Rules & Procedures. There is a searchable register of costs lawyers who hold a current practising certificate and are therefore regulated by the CLSB.
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is the regulatory body for licensed conveyancers in England and Wales. The Consumer Information section of its web site includes a searchable directory of licensed conveyancers and details of complaints procedures. The CLC’s Handbook is available for download.
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is responsible for the regulation of all qualifications in Northern Ireland. Documents on the site include annual reports 2004-2005 onwards.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was formed on 14 July 2016 from a merger of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Its responsibilities include business, industrial strategy, science, innovation, energy and climate change. This section of the GOV.UK web site provides information on its activities, policies, publications and announcements.
The Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the independent regulator in Wales for teachers and learning support staff in schools and further education. It replaced the General Teaching Council for Wales (GTCW) on 1 April 2015. Its Register of Education Professionals is searchable online. Site content also includes the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice, registration rules, disciplinary procedures and rules, and notices of recent fitness to practise committee hearing outcomes.
The Environment Agency, a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, has been the principal regulator on environmental matters in England since it came into existence on 1 April 1996. Content in this section of the GOV.UK site includes information and guidance on UK and EU waste legislation and regulations, with links to texts.
This regulatory body came into being in 2013 and exercises the functions of three former bodies: the Commission for Ethical Standards, the Public Standards Commissioner for Scotland and the Public Appointments Commissioner for Scotland. The Commissioner investigates complaints about the conduct of MSPs, local authority councillors and members of public bodies and also regulates how people are appointed to the boards of public bodies in Scotland. The Decisions available on the website extend back to 2003. The “Links” section gives access to the Code of Conduct for MSPs, the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Devolved Public Bodies. The current Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland is available on the site itself, along with previous editions of various codes.
The admission and regulation of notaries in England and Wales is a function of the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Notaries section of its web site has a collection of the rules regulating notaries, a code of practice for notaries, and a searchable directory of notaries practising in England and Wales.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial services industry in the UK. It was established on 1 April 2013 as one of the successors to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), and has since 1 April 2015 had concurrent competition powers in relation to financial services alongside the Competition and Markets Authority. The Financial Services Register, a register of all the firms, individuals and other bodies regulated by the FSA, is accessible online. The FCA Handbook of rules and related guidance are accessible via a link to the separate FCA Handbook site.
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is an independent regulator responsible for promoting confidence in corporate reporting and governance in the UK. It oversees the regulatory activity of the actuarial profession and the professional accounting bodies in the UK, and is the independent disciplinary body for accountants, accounting firms and actuaries. Downloadable documents include the FRC’s UK Corporate Governance Code and UK Stewardship Code.
The General Regulatory Chamber (GRC) of the First-tier Tribunal, which was established on 1 September 2009, deals with a broad range of appeals, mostly against decisions of various government regulatory bodies. These include the Charity Commission, Gambling Commission, Information Commissioner’s Office, Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, Pensions Regulator, and Approved Driving Instructor Registrar. Among many other GRC jurisdictions are those relating to the regulation of estate agents, letting and managing agents, environment agencies, food regulators and trading standards officers. This page of the GOV.UK site provides a list of all the GRC’s current jurisdictions, with links to documents, forms and guidance, rules, legislation and decisions.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a non-ministerial government department created in 2000 to protect public health and consumer interests in relation to food. Information and guidance on food law and regulation in the UK can be found in the “Business Guidance” section, and legislation and codes of practice can be found via the link to “Key Regulation” on the “About Us” page.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) was established on 1 April 2015 as a non-ministerial office with responsibility for implementing and monitoring food safety and food standards in Scotland. It took over the responsibilities of the UK’s Food Standards Agency in respect of Scotland, with additional responsibilities concerning diet and nutrition. Its web site provides guidance for consumers and businesses, including a downloadable Scottish Food and Feed Law Guide (PDF) with extensive links to UK and EU legislation.
The Forensic Science Regulator regulates forensic science activities on behalf of the criminal justice system within the United Kingdom. The office lacks statutory powers at the present time. It provides here on the GOV.UK site regulatory notices, reports, codes of practice and conduct for forensic science providers and practitioners in the criminal justice system, and guidance on dealing with legal issues that can arise in the practice of forensic science and forensic pathology.
The Gambling Commission was established in October 2005, under the Gambling Act 2005, initially to regulate all commercial gambling in Great Britain apart from spread betting (regulated by the Financial Services Authority) and the National Lottery (regulated by the National Lottery Commission). The National Lottery Commission was subsequently merged with the Gambling Commission on 1 October 2013. Its web site has news, information, guidance, consultations, and links to legislation.
The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) was created under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 to curb the exploitation of workers in the agriculture, forestry, horticulture, shellfish gathering, and food processing and packaging industries. From May 2017, renamed the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), it also exercises police-style powers to investigate labour abuse and exploitation across all aspects of the UK labour market. There are public registers, codes of practice, guidance, newsletters, information on licensing procedures, and links to legislation including regulations.
The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) regulates chiropractors throughout the UK. The site’s Publications section has annual reports, fitness to practise reports (which include case summaries), newsletters, press releases, standards, and the full text of the Chiropractors Act 1994 and related subsidiary legislation.
The General Dental Council (GDC) regulates all dental professionals in the UK. The Dentists Register and Rolls of Dental Auxiliaries are searchable on its web site. Also on the site are “Standards for the Dental Team” and other guidance documents; the GDC’s various Rules; information on complaints procedures; and details of outcomes of recent hearings of the Professional Conduct Committee.
The General Medical Council (GMC) registers doctors to practise medicine in the UK. The List of Registered Medical Practitioners, a register of doctors who are eligible to work in general practice in the health service in the UK, may be searched on its site. It includes any publicly available fitness to practise history since 20 October 2005. Relevant legislation, including a consolidated version with amendments of the Medical Act 1983, is to be found in the “About us” section. “Ethical guidance for doctors” includes the document “Good Medical Practice”, and archived ethical guidance is available back to 1963.
The General Optical Council (GOC) is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Its Register is searchable online. A Legislation section within “About Us” has the Opticians Act 1989 and rules and regulations made under that Act. Other content includes codes of conduct (under Standards) and decisions in fitness to practise hearings of the last twelve months (under Complaints).
The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) regulates osteopaths and maintains the statutory register of osteopaths in the UK. The register is searchable online. Other site content includes the Osteopaths Act 1993 and secondary legislation; the current code of practice and other guidance; information on the complaint procedure and recent findings; and recent annual fitness to practise reports.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has been the regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in England, Scotland and Wales since 27 September 2010. Its web site includes information, standards, guidance and links to legislation. There are searchable online registers of pharmacies, training premises, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The section “Raising concerns” includes determinations in fitness to practise hearings.
The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) was set up under the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 as the self-regulating professional body for the teaching profession in Northern Ireland. It maintains a register of teachers in Northern Ireland which is searchable online. Documents on the site include the Code of Values and Professional Practice.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) was set up under the Teaching Council (Scotland) Act 1965 as the regulatory body for the teaching profession in Scotland. It maintains a register, searchable online, of teachers who are eligible to teach in public sector schools in Scotland. Also on the site are details of the complaints procedure, and documents which include professional standards, rules, codes of practice and standing orders.
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) currently regulates members of fifteen professions in the UK, including chiropodists, dietitians, paramedics, physiotherapists, radiographers and practitioner psychologists. It was originally established in 2003 as the Health Professions Council and was known by that name until August 2012. The Legislation section (under About Us) has relevant Orders and Rules either as originally made or in unofficial consolidated versions. Other content includes guidance, standards, consultations and annual reports. There is a searchable online register, and a link to the separate web site of the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service, its fitness to practise adjudication service.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a non-departmental public body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare in England, Wales and Scotland. The site’s Legislation section, found on the “About HSE” tab under “HSE’s work”, includes lists of relevant Acts and Statutory Instruments, with links to full text on the Legislation.gov.uk web site. The Enforcement section, also under “HSE’s work”, has searchable databases of enforcement notices issued by HSE and of successful convictions obtained from HSE prosecutions. Other content includes consultations 2000 onwards, guidance, codes of practice, annual reports 2001/02 onwards, leaflets, newsletters, and press releases.
This web site, hosted and maintained by the Health and Care Professions Council, provides a searchable online database of regulators and professional bodies for health professionals, with links to their web sites. Coverage is worldwide and includes international as well as national organisations.
The responsibilities of Healthcare Improvement Scotland include the inspection and regulation of independent healthcare services in Scotland, including hospitals, hospices and clinics. Select “Inspecting and regulating care” via the Scrutiny tab to access relevant information, guidance and inspection reports.
The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) is the independent inspectorate and regulator of all healthcare in Wales. Publications include healthcare standards and the text of all reviews and investigations which HIW undertakes. The site includes some links to legislation.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) was created in 1991, under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, to regulate safe and appropriate practice in fertility treatment and human embryo research. Its Code of Practice, Directions and other guidance documents are to be found in the site’s Clinic Portal section. Documents elsewhere include annual reports, research reports, news items and press releases.
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) was set up under the Human Tissue Act 2004 to regulate the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue from the living and deceased. Site content includes a section devoted to legislation, policies and codes of practice, with links to the Human Tissue Act 2004 and regulations made under it, and to the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006. Publications include annual reports, leaflets, and a regular e-newsletter.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) is the independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK. It replaced the Press Complaints Commission on 8 September 2014. Site content includes the Editors’ Code of Practice which IPSO is charged with enforcing, information on the complaint procedure, rulings and resolution statements.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for data protection and freedom of information in the UK. The “For organisations” section of its website includes guides to the legislation relating to data protection and freedom of information. “What we do” under the “About the ICO” tab includes a searchable register of organisations that process personal data. There are also decision notices 2005 onwards, available via the “Action we’ve taken” tab.
The Insolvency Service is an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It administers bankruptcies and debt relief orders; looks into the affairs of companies in liquidation and makes reports of any director misconduct; and investigates trading companies and takes action to wind them up and/or disqualify the directors if there is evidence of misconduct. Content on the GOV.UK site includes guidance, consultations and registers of disqualified directors and individuals.
The Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) regulates the patent attorney and trade mark attorney professions on behalf of both the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA), which are Approved Regulators under the Legal Services Act 2007. Site content includes the single Code of Conduct which applies to all members of both professions, and separate registers of the two professions in the form of PDF documents.
The International Compliance Association (ICA) is a non-profit making professional organisation which promotes best compliance and anti-money laundering practice in the financial services sector. Much of the information on the site is for ICA members only, but freely accessible sections include extensive links to national and supranational regulatory and enforcement bodies worldwide.
The Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) was established on 1 September 2017 to provide independent regulation and oversight of the use of investigatory powers by intelligence agencies, police forces and other public authorities. It replaced the Intelligence Services Commissioner, the Interception of Communications Commissioner’s Office and the Office of Surveillance Commissioners. Content on the IPCO site includes information on its function and responsibilities and annual reports (including those of its three precursor bodies).
The Legal Services Board (LSB) became fully operational on 1 January 2010 as the single “oversight regulator” for the legal profession in England and Wales. It oversees those bodies designated Approved Regulators which directly regulate providers of legal services, including solicitors, barristers, legal executives, licensed conveyancers, patent and trade mark attorneys, notaries, costs lawyers and chartered accountants. The site includes background information on the creation of the LSB, a list of the Approved Regulators, FAQs, consultations, news and press releases.
Amongst the extensive stock market information on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) site is a “Rules and regulations” section, from which the current LSE Rules may be downloaded. To locate this section select the tab “For traders & brokers”. Also available are the current AIM Rules, which can be found under the tab “For companies and advisers”.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is responsible for adjudication upon doctors’ fitness to practise in the UK. It was launched on 11 June 2012 and is operationally separate from the body which was responsible before that date, the General Medical Council (GMC). Its web site provides information on its role and procedures, including links to the legislation that governs its work. The Decisions section has various guidance documents and details of rights to appeal, besides texts of recent decisions.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, formed in 2003 from a merger of the Medical Devices Agency and the Medicines Control Agency. Its section of the GOV.UK web site contains information, news and documents relating to the regulation of medicines and medical devices in the UK.
Following an earlier independent inquiry into the provision of care by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust (the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry) this was a full public inquiry into the role of the commissioning, supervisory and regulatory bodies in the monitoring of that NHS Trust. It was announced in June 2010 and chaired by Robert Francis QC. Its official web site, now archived, includes FAQs; terms of reference and other key documents; transcripts of hearings; evidence; and the final report, published 6 February 2013.
Natural Resources Wales, a public body sponsored by the Welsh Government, has various statutory duties and responsibilities which include regulation and compliance within Wales’s environmental industries. It was formed on 1 April 2013 from a merger of the Environment Agency Wales with two other bodies. Site content includes extensive guidance and advice, and annual reports 2013/2014 onwards.
NHS Improvement (NHSI) is the operational name of an umbrella organisation, created on 1 April 2016, which brings together various bodies involved in aspects of healthcare oversight and regulation. Responsibilities include overseeing foundation trusts and NHS trusts, protecting and promoting the interests of patients, and the exercise of concurrent powers alongside the Competition and Markets Authority to enforce competition law in respect of the provision of healthcare services in England. The web site includes details of NHSI’s role, corporate publications and a Resources section, and provides links to the legacy web sites of Monitor and the other bodies which make up NHSI.
Environmental compliance and regulation are among the responsibilities of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), which since 16 May 2016 has been an executive agency within Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Site content includes business plans and annual reports 2016/17 onwards.
The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) is the body responsible for regulating and registering the social care workforce in Northern Ireland. Its register is searchable online. Other content includes codes of practice, the Conduct Rules, consultations, and a “Fitness to Practise & Hearings” section which includes downloadable decisions.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regulates nurses and midwives in the UK and maintains a register of qualified nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses. The register is searchable online. Other site content includes information on the fitness to practise process, with details of recent hearing outcomes; fitness to practise annual reports; links to legislation; the NMC code of conduct; and circulars.
Ofcom (the Office of Communications) is the independent regulator and competition authority for the media and communications industries in the UK. It was created in December 2003 from a merger of the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission, Oftel, the Radio Authority and the Radio Communications Agency. It has also been responsible for the regulation since 1 October 2011, of the UK’s postal services, and since 3 April 2017 of the BBC. Information and documents on the site include consultations, codes of practice, guidance, reports, and selected material from the former sites of the defunct “legacy regulators”. A Competition and Consumer Enforcement Bulletin may be found within “About Ofcom”, “News and updates”.
The Office for Statistics Regulation, the regulatory arm of the Office for National Statistics, is responsible for providing independent regulation of all official statistics produced in the UK. Site content includes its Code of Practice for Statistics, policy statements and guidance. The Crime and Security section within “Our Domains” covers statistics on crime, policing, justice systems (family, civil and criminal) and national security.
The Office for Students (OfS) came into existence on 1 January 2018 as the regulator of the higher education sector in England. Its register of officially recognised higher education providers is downloadable from the site.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) was a non-ministerial government department which was responsible for promoting and protecting consumer interests in the UK and ensuring that businesses were fair and competitive. The OFT was abolished on 1 April 2014 and its work and responsibilities transferred to various bodies including the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This page on the GOV.UK site includes a link to the archived OFT web site within the UK Government Web Archive.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR – formerly the Office of Rail Regulation) is the independent regulator of Britain’s railway industry and monitor of Highways England (formerly the Highways Agency). Like several other economic regulators it exercises, concurrently with the Competition and Markets Authority, competition and consumer powers within its sector. Its site has a wide range of information and documents, and links to railway-related legislation.
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) regulates those immigration advisers in the UK who are not members of professional bodies such as the Law Society and the General Council of the Bar. Content in this section of the GOV.UK site includes guidance, practice notes, the Code of Standards, the complaint scheme, annual reports and newsletters.
The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner was an independent government-appointed regulator who worked with consumers and solicitors to improve the complaint-handling function of the Law Society of England and Wales from 2004 to 2010. The Office closed on 31 March 2010 and its archived web site is available here on the National Archives site.
Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) regulates Great Britain’s gas and electricity markets. Like several other industry regulators it also exercises, concurrently with the Competition and Markets Authority, competition and consumer powers within its sector. The site has extensive information on Ofgem’s role and activities but no longer links to legislation.
Ofqual (the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) was established in April 2008 as the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. Information here on the GOV.UK web site includes guidance, details of how to appeal exam results, and a searchable register of regulated qualifications.
Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) inspects education and training for learners of all ages in England except those in higher education institutes and universities. Since 1 April 2007 it has also been responsible for the registration, regulation and inspection of children’s social care in England. Content here on the GOV.UK web site includes inspection reports, research reports, news, forms and guidance, consultations, statistics, and annual reports 1993-94 onwards.
Ofwat (the Water Services Regulation Authority) is the economic regulator of the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales. It also plays a role under the Competition Act 1998 in promoting competition within its sector. The extensive range of publications available on the site includes guidance leaflets, codes of practice, consultation papers, and its annual reports to Parliament.
The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) was formed on 1 April 2015, initially as an executive agency of the former Department of Energy and Climate Change, with responsibilities that include regulation of the UK oil and gas industry. On 1 October 2016 it became a government company. Site content includes links to relevant legislation and information on its regulatory decisions.
The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is a subsidiary of the Financial Conduct Authority which operates as the independent economic regulator of the payment systems industry in the UK. It has concurrent competition powers alongside the Competition and Markets Authority and became fully operational on 1 April 2015. Publications on the PSR’s web site include consultations, policy statements, annual plans and reports.
The Pensions Regulator (TPR), created under the Pensions Act 2004, replaced the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra) on 6 April 2005 as the regulatory body for work-based pension schemes in the UK. Its site includes information, guidance, policy documents and codes of practice. Determinations are to be found within the section “How we regulate and enforce”.
The Society is the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland. Its register is searchable online. Other content includes guidance, links to legislation, the Code of Ethics, and details of the complaint procedure.
The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) is the UK regulator for content, goods and services charged to a phone bill. It was known before 1 November 2016 as PhonepayPlus, and earlier still as ICSTIS (the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services). The site has advice and guidance for consumers and businesses, the Code of Practice, information on the complaints process, and annual reports.
The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) closed on 8 September 2014 and was replaced as regulator of the UK press by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The PCC site is being maintained for a period to provide a record of its rulings 1996-2014. Other former site content has been removed.
The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care promotes best practice and consistency in the regulation of health and care professionals by ten regulatory bodies – the General Chiropractic Council, General Dental Council, General Medical Council, General Optical Council, General Osteopathic Council, General Pharmaceutical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Pharmaceutical Council of Northern Ireland, and Social Work England. This includes reviewing their disciplinary decisions and, where considered appropriate, referring them to the High Court. It was known before 1 December 2012 as the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), and was originally established in 2003 as the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals (CRHP). Current site content extends back to 2008.
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms in the UK. It is part of the Bank of England, and was established by the Financial Services Act 2012 as one of the successors to the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Within the Prudential Regulation section of the Bank of England web site there are PRA publications, consultations, and information on the regulatory data which firms need to provide. External links are provided to the separate web sites of the PRA Rulebook and the Financial Services Register.
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) is the independent health and social care services regulator for Northern Ireland. Its site provides links to relevant legislation on the Legislation.gov.uk site, including the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, under which RQIA was established in 2005.
The Regulator of Social Housing has regulated registered providers of social housing in England since 1 October 2018, when it took over the functions of the Regulation Committee of the Homes and Communities Agency. Information here on the GOV.UK site includes an A-Z list, with links to texts, of the Regulator’s regulatory judgments and regulatory notices.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the UK, with statutory responsibilities set out in the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. The text of the Act is downloadable, and there is information and advice on recent legislative changes of relevance to veterinary surgeons. The Guide to Professional Conduct is reproduced in full, and there is a searchable register of members. Information on the complaints procedure and details of disciplinary proceedings, including findings and judgments 2010 onwards, are to be found in the site’s Complaints section.
The functions of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) include the regulation of property professionals and surveyors in the UK. This section of the RICS site provides information and guidance on the regulatory framework, including the rules of conduct for firms and members and details of recent and forthcoming disciplinary panel hearings.
The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is the independent regulator and registrar of Scottish charities, equivalent to the Charity Commission in England and Wales. The Scottish Charity Register may be searched on its site. Publications include guidance, policy documents, inquiry reports, annual reports, consultations and decisions. Links to relevant legislation, both primary and secondary, are provided in the Charity Law section.
This site explains the rights of members of the public, and the responsibilities of public authorities, under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. A list of Appeals currently before the Commissioner, and the full text of Decisions already issued (2005 onwards), are available. A link to the 2002 Act together with guidance regarding the various exemptions to its provisions are to be found within “The Law”.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is responsible for regulating and registering the Scottish social service workforce. Its register is searchable online. Other site content includes the Codes of Practice, Registration Rules and Conduct Rules; recent conduct hearing decisions; consultations; details of the complaints procedure; annual reports; and news.
Social Care Wales is responsible for registering and regulating social care workers in Wales. It was established on 3 April 2017 and combines the functions of the former Care Council for Wales and the Social Services Improvement Agency. Its online register is searchable. Other site content includes codes of practice and practice guidance, outcomes of fitness to practise hearings, and an “Information and Learning Hub” which contains information, with links, on social care legislation in Wales.
Social Work England has regulated social workers in England since 2 December 2019 when it took over that role from the Health and Care Professions Council. Publications on its web site include professional standards, guidance documents, and decisions of its case examiners and adjudicators. Its public register of social workers is searchable online.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been the independent regulator of solicitors in England and Wales since January 2007. Its web site includes the current version of the SRA Handbook which came into effect on 6 October 2011 and incorporates the formerly separate Solicitors’ Code of Conduct and Solicitors’ Accounts Rules. Other content includes consultations, news and contact details.
The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers is the regulatory body which administers the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers. Documents on the site include the Code, the Rules Governing Substantial Acquisitions of Shares, Panel statements, practice statements, current and recent public consultation papers, and all annual reports since the Panel’s inception in 1968.
The Utility Regulator is the informal name of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR), which regulates the electricity, gas, water and sewerage industries in Northern Ireland. Like its counterpart authorities in Great Britain, Ofgem and Ofwat, NIAUR also exercises powers within its sector, concurrently with the Competition and Markets Authority, under the Competition Act 1998. Publications on the site include consultation papers 2002 onwards and press releases 1997 onwards.
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