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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.

Two in three Gen Z workers want to start a business

6 May 2025

Over two-thirds of Gen Z workers have entrepreneurial ambitions, according to new research, but at the same time there are a worrying number of young people that are not in employment, education or training.

A survey of 1,000 employees aged 18-27 years old who are currently working in UK businesses has found that 67% of them have ambitions to start their own business.

The research, conducted by American Express and The Conduit, asked Gen Z employees if they felt they have the key skills needed to pursue their business dreams. Almost nine in ten (87%) said they are confident in their collaboration skills, 82% say they are innovative thinkers and 80% claimed to have the necessary leadership skills.

However, respondents also identified gaps in their skillset which they felt might hinder their entrepreneurial ambitions:

  • 46% were worried about pitching for funding;
  • 38% weren't confident they could develop a business plan;
  • 34% said they didn't have any knowledge about sources of funding;
  • 23% said they didn't have the right connections.

The research suggests that companies could do more to harness this untapped potential, by fostering greater "intrapreneurship" - giving employees the chance to develop their entrepreneurial skills while working in an established business.

"It's clear from our research that the Gen Z workforce has an entrepreneurial mindset and many believe they have the skills needed to set up on their own. But it also reveals a clear opportunity for the wider business community to support those with leadership ambitions, either within their existing organisation or in building their own business." Lee Sullivan, vice president American Express.

BCC warns of "lost generation"

While many Gen Z workers are reaching their potential, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned that those young people not in employment, education or training (known as NEETs) could become a "lost generation".

In October to December 2024, there were 987,000 NEETs, including 392,000 unemployed and 595,000 economically inactive. The British Chambers of Commerce are calling on the government to:

  • Invest in support to help young people into work.
  • Support SMEs to take on and train young people.
  • Increase workplace health support for firms to keep people in jobs.
  • Set a target to reduce the proportion of young NEETs in the UK to that of the Netherlands (taking the proportion down from 13.4% to 4.8%).

Research by the Kings Trust shows that one in four people classified as NEETs would like to work but cannot, due to mental health problems. More than half (52%), said the longer they were unemployed the harder they were finding it to get work, while 45% said being out of work meant they had lost confidence in their skills.

"The number of young people who are not in employment, education or training is at its highest level for a decade. Generation Z face a double whammy of increasing barriers to entering the workforce, and reducing opportunities as the number of vacancies continues to fall. But research shows the longer we leave this pool of talent to drift away from the workplace the harder it becomes for them to engage." Shevaun Haviland, BCC director general.

The NEET challenge

BCC is calling for businesses to open up employment opportunities to young people - just 13% of firms currently have specific recruitment, training or retention plans for under-25s. SMEs, in particular, are missing out on the benefits of a targeted approach to youth employment.

"Government must support SMEs to take on more young people and train them for the jobs of the future." Shevaun Haviland, BCC director general.

The impact of change could be significant. According to BCC, the economic benefit of tackling the NEET challenge could add £69bn to UK output.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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