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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

Acas poll finds many UK workers are worried about AI

6 May 2025

More than half of UK businesses now use AI but employers need to do more to address the concerns of their staff, says Acas.

More than a quarter (26%) of workers are worried that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to job losses, according to a new YouGov survey commissioned by Acas. The poll also found that just under a fifth (17%) were worried about AI making errors, while 15% were concerned about a lack of regulation.

"Some employers may be looking to embrace new technologies as a way to cut costs, increase productivity or make workers' jobs easier. There can be concerns from staff when new technologies are introduced at work and it's clear from our study that their biggest worry is that AI will result in job losses. Bosses should have clear policies on the use of AI at work, remember that it is not a perfect technology and have open conversations with employees around its use." Dan Ellis, Acas interim chief executive.

Start-ups lead the way on AI adoption

New research conducted by Strand Partners for Amazon Web Services (AWS) has found that AI adoption in the UK has grown by 33% in the past year, outpacing the European average (27%). More than half (52%) of UK businesses now use AI. The vast majority (92%) of businesses that have adopted AI say they've seen increased revenue.

However, a gap between start-ups and established businesses seems to be emerging. While many firms are using AI for efficiency gains, start-ups are integrating AI into the centre of their business strategy, and using it to develop new products and services and transform their industries.

Businesses say the digital skills gap is the biggest barrier to AI adoption - 38% of businesses reported that access to digital skills is preventing them from adopting AI, up from 29% last year. AI literacy is likely to be required in nearly half (47%) of new UK jobs in the next three years, yet only 27% of UK businesses feel adequately prepared.

How can business owners use AI at work effectively?

Acas has published advice for employers on the use of AI in the workplace:

  • Employers should develop clear policies regarding the use of AI in the workplace and should consult employees on its introduction. If there is an expectation that certain roles begin using AI, that could mean a change of terms and conditions.
  • Employers investing in AI should highlight how it can improve employees' roles and reassure staff that human involvement will still be needed.
  • Organisations should remember that AI is not perfect, so outputs should be checked for accuracy, tone and bias. AI should be cited when used and staff may require training on how to get the best outputs.
  • A company's data privacy policies will apply for the use of AI. Employees should be careful entering information that is business-sensitive or personal into public tools. Information could be made public or used by others, so employees should check company AI policies and be aware of GDPR.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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