County court judgments for debt

Overview

You may get a county court judgment (CCJ) or high court judgment if someone takes court action against you (saying you owe them money) and you do not respond.

You must respond to the court claim by the date on the email or letter you receive.

If you get a judgment, this means that the court has formally decided that you owe the money.

The judgment (a judgment) will come in the post and will explain:

how much you owe

how to pay (in full or in instalments)

the deadline for paying

who to pay

Records of judgments are kept for 6 years unless you pay the full amount within a month - this can make it hard to get credit.

What you can do if you get a judgment

If you do owe the money, you’ll need to pay it (the money) back. If you cannot afford to, you can ask to:

change the terms of (‘vary’) the judgment (a judgment)

pay it (the money) back in instalments

Find out what options you have for paying the judgment (a judgment).

You can apply for the judgment to be cancelled (or ‘set aside’) if:

you do not owe the money

Find out how to apply for the judgment to be cancelled.

If you get a judgment, do not ignore it - you could be taken back to court and forced to pay.

Court judgments for debt in Scotland

The law is different in Scotland - read guidance from the Accountant in Bankruptcy (Scotland’s (Scotland) insolvency service).

Pay the judgment - if you do owe the money

You’ll have to pay the person or business you owe the money to, or their solicitor. The name and address will be on the judgment form. Do not pay the court.

Make sure you can prove you’ve paid. Send a cheque or postal order by post, or make a bank transfer. Do not send cash through the post.

Keep a record of your payments and make sure you pay in time.

Pay in instalments

If you’re paying in instalments, ask the person or business you owe the money to about the best way to pay.

You may want to set up a standing order to pay the money directly from your bank account.

If you’re late with your payments, you could be taken back to court and you may have to pay extra costs.

Ask to change the payments

You can ask to change the terms of the judgment - for example, how and when you pay.

To do this, fill in the N245 application form.

Give details of your income and spending, and say how much you can realistically afford to pay.

You may have to pay a court fee.

If your offer is rejected, the court will decide on the amount you have to pay.

If you do not pay what the court has ordered

If you do not pay as ordered, the person or business you owe money to may:

threaten you with bailiffs to collect the money

ask the court to take action against you to force you to pay

If you’re threatened with bailiffs

The person or business you owe money (the money) to may use bailiffs to collect the money.

They (the person or business you owe money to)’ll have to apply to the court for a ‘warrant’, which will give the bailiff the right to visit your home or property. You’ll be given 7 days to pay before they visit.

You may be able to stop the bailiff from visiting, by filling in the N245 application form.

Say on the form (the N245 application form) how you’ll repay the money - for example weekly or monthly payments. If your offer is accepted, the warrant will be stopped as long as you keep up with the payments.

Actions the court can take against you to force you to pay

The court may decide to:

order a deduction from your earnings

freeze money in your bank or building society account

deduct the money you owe when you sell your property (such as a house, land, stocks or shares)

order you to come to court to answer questions about things like your earnings or employment status

If you have other judgments or debts

If you have another judgment against you, you can arrange to pay all your debts to the court in a single weekly or monthly payment.

This (arrange) will stop people taking action against you to get their money - for example by sending bailiffs to your home.

You can only do this (arrange) if your total debts are under £5,000.

You’ll need to fill in the application for an administration order (N92).

Contact the court if you cannot keep up with the payments.

Cancel the judgment

If you do not owe the money, you can ask the court to cancel the county court judgment (CCJ) or high court judgment. This is known as getting the judgment ‘set aside’.

You can also do this (ask) if you did not receive, or did not respond to, the original claim from the court saying you owed the money.

Apply to get the judgment set aside

To get a judgment set aside, fill in the application notice (N244) and send it to the court.

You may have to pay a court fee of £255.

You’ll have to go to a private hearing at the court to explain why you do not owe the money.

If you do not go to the hearing (a private hearing at the court), your application will be rejected and you’ll have to pay the amount in the judgment.

CCJs and your credit rating

If you get a county court judgment (CCJ) or a high court judgment, it will stay on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for 6 years.

Banks and loan companies use this information to decide whether to give you credit or loans.

If you pay within one month

If you pay the full amount within one month, you can get the judgment removed from the register (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines).

Write to the court to say you’ve paid. You’ll need to send proof of payment from the person or business you owed money to.

If you pay after one month

If you pay after one month, you can get the record of the judgment marked as ‘satisfied’ in the register (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines).

It (the record of the judgment marked as ‘satisfied’) will stay on the register (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines) for 6 years but people searching the register (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines) will see that you’ve paid.

Getting a certificate of cancellation or satisfaction

If you want proof from the court that you’ve paid, you can apply for:

a certificate of cancellation - if you paid within one month

a certificate of satisfaction - if you paid after one month

Apply for the certificate (a certificate of satisfaction) in writing or by sending form N443 to the court that is dealing with your case (the court).

You’ll need to include a cheque for £14 - make it payable to ‘HMCTS’.
If you want to pay by card, contact the court that’s handling your case (the court).

If you cannot get proof of payment

If you cannot get proof from the person or business you owed money to, you can still apply for a certificate of cancellation or satisfaction using form N443.

You’ll need to send evidence to the court showing you made the payment, for example a bank statement. If you do not have evidence, explain this on the form (form N443).

The court will write to the person or business you owed money to. If they (the person or business you owed money to) do not respond within 30 days, the court will use your evidence to make a decision.

Search the register of judgments (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines)

You can search for details of any judgments against you on the register of judgments (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines).

You’ll have to pay a small fee - each search costs between £6 and £10.

If the information on the register (the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines) is wrong, contact Trust Online, who will check the details with the court:


Respond to a court claim for money

How to respond

You’ll get a letter or email if someone claims you owe them money.  You must respond by the date on the email or letter you receive.

You can respond by:

paying the full amount

paying only what you think you owe

defending the claim (if you do not think you owe any money or you’ve already paid)

You might have to pay more or get a county court judgment (CCJ) if you do not respond in time.

If you need more time to respond

You can ask for another 14 days to respond if you’re defending the claim or paying only what you think you owe.

Download and fill in the acknowledgement of service form in the response pack.

Send it (the acknowledgement of service form in the response pack) to the court address on the claim form.

The process is different in Scotland.

Pay the full amount

Send a cheque or postal order made payable to the person or business you owe money to (the ‘claimant’). Their name and address will be on the claim form.

You can also pay the claimant in person.

Keep proof (for example, your bank records or a receipt from the claimant) to show you’ve paid.

If you cannot afford to pay the full amount at once

You can offer to pay in instalments or by a certain date.

Download and fill in either:

form N9A if the claim is for a specified amount

form N9C if the claim is for an unspecified amount

You must say how you want to pay (a certain amount per month for example) and send the completed form to the address on the claim form (the court address on the claim form).

If the claimant does not accept your offer, the court will decide how you pay.

You can be taken to court and you may have to pay extra costs if you do not keep up the payments.

If the claim is for an unspecified amount

Download and fill in admission form N9A. Either:

ask the court to decide how much you owe

offer to pay a certain amount

You might have to give more information at a hearing if you ask the court to decide or the claimant rejects your offer.

The court will tell you when and where the hearing (a hearing) will take place.

If you’ve already paid

You must defend the claim if you’ve already paid the claimant.

You might still have to pay court fees if you paid the claimant after they made the claim.

Pay some of the money

If you do not agree with the amount on the claim form, you can apply to the court to pay only what you think you owe.

You must send the court both:

an admission form to say how much you’ll pay

a defence form to explain why you do not owe the full amount

Respond online if the claim was made using Money Claim Online.

Otherwise, which forms you fill in will depend on whether the claim is for a fixed (‘specified’) or an unspecified amount.

The claim is for a specified amount

Download and fill in:

admission form N9A (admission form N9A.)

defence form N9B

The claim is for an unspecified amount

Download and fill in:

admission form N9C

defence form N9D

If your offer is rejected

The court will decide how much you owe.

You might have to give more information at a hearing. The court will tell you when and where the hearing will take place.

Defend the claim

You can defend the claim if either:

you do not think you owe the other person or business any money

you’ve already paid them (the other person or business)

You can also make a claim against them (the other person or business) (‘counterclaim’) if you think they (the other person or business) owe you money. You might have to pay a court fee.

Download and fill in either:

form N9B if the claim is for a fixed (‘specified’) amount

form N9D if the claim is for an unspecified amount

You can respond online if the claim was made using an online service.

The court will decide whether you owe any money, and how much.

Going to a court hearing

If there’s a hearing, you can:

represent yourself

pay for a barrister or solicitor to represent you

ask someone to advise you in court - they do not have to be a lawyer

ask someone to speak on your behalf - you might need to get the court’s (the court) permission

Your hearing can be held in the judge’s room or a courtroom in a county court if the claim is for less than £10,000. There might be a more formal hearing if the claim is for more.

Do not go to court if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or if you’re self-isolating or in quarantine. Tell the court if you cannot attend.

After the hearing

You’ll get a decision on the day of the hearing. The court will also send you a copy of the decision by post.

Appeal the decision (a decision)

You can ask to appeal the decision (a decision) if you think the judge made a mistake during the hearing. You must ask within 21 days of the date the decision (a decision) was made.

Find out which court or tribunal to appeal to.

Contact Citizens Advice to get advice on appealing.


Business rates relief

Overview

Some properties are eligible for discounts from the local council on their business rates. This is called ‘business rates relief’.

Rates relief is handled differently in Scotland,  Wales and Northern Ireland.

You have to contact your local council to see if you’re eligible and apply for:

small business rate relief

rural rate relief

charitable rate relief

enterprise zone relief

hardship relief

retail discount

local newspaper relief

Your council automatically applies:

exempted buildings and empty buildings relief

transitional relief if your rates change by more than a certain amount at revaluation

Contact your local council if you’re not getting a relief you think you’re entitled to.

Find out what support is available for businesses, including business rates grants or holidays, because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

If your premises are affected by local disruption

You may get a temporary reduction in your business rates if your premises are affected by severe local disruption (like flooding, building or roadworks).

You can report that something external to the premises (your premises) has affected its (your premises) value using the Valuation Office Agency service.

Small business rate relief

You can get small business rate relief if:

your property’s rateable value is less than £15,000

your business only uses one property - you may still be able to get relief if you use more

Contact your local council to apply for small business rate relief.

What you get

You will not pay business rates on a property with a rateable value of £12,000 or less.

For properties with a rateable value of £12,001 to £15,000, the rate of relief will go down gradually from 100% to 0%.

If you use more than one property

When you get a second property, you’ll keep getting any existing relief on your main property for 12 months.

You can still get small business rate relief on your main property after this (12 months) if both the following apply:

none of your other properties have a rateable value above £2,899

the total rateable value of all your properties is less than £20,000 (£28,000 in London)

You’re a small business but do not qualify for small business rate relief

If your property in England has a rateable value below £51,000, your bill will be calculated using the small business multiplier, which is lower than the standard one. This is the case even if you do not get small business rate relief.

The small business multiplier is 49.1p and the standard multiplier (the standard one) is 50.4p from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020. The multipliers may be different in the City of London (London).

Rural rate relief

You could get rural rate relief if your business is in a rural area with a population below 3,000.

You will not pay business rates if your business is in an eligible area and either:

the only village shop or post office, with a rateable value of up to £8,500

the only public house or petrol station, with a rateable value of up to £12,500

Contact your local council to check you’re eligible and to apply for rural rate relief.

Charitable rate relief

Charities and community amateur sports clubs can apply for charitable rate relief of up to 80% if a property is used for charitable purposes.

Contact your local council to:

check if you’re eligible

find out if they (your local council) can top up the discount to 100% (called ‘discretionary relief’)

If you’re not eligible for charitable rate relief

You may still be able to get discretionary relief if you’re a non-profit or voluntary organisation. Contact your council (your local council) to find out.

Enterprise zones

If you’re starting up or relocating to an enterprise zone you could qualify for business rates relief.

The council works out how the relief (business rates relief) is applied. You could get up to £55,000 a year over 5 years.

Find your local enterprise zone to check whether it offers business rates relief, and how and when to apply.

Exempted buildings and empty buildings relief

Exempted buildings

Certain properties are exempt from business rates.

You may not have to pay business rates on:

agricultural land and buildings, including fish farms

buildings used for training or welfare of disabled people

buildings registered for public religious worship or church halls

However, there are strict legal requirements for these exemptions.

If your property is in England, you can report that you think it should be exempt using the Valuation Office Agency service.

There’s a different way to report exemptions if your property is in Wales.

Empty properties

You do not have to pay business rates on empty buildings for 3 months. After this time, most businesses must pay full business rates.

Some properties can get extended empty property relief:

industrial premises (for example warehouses) are exempt for a further 3 months

listed buildings - until they (industrial premises (for example warehouses))’re reoccupied

buildings with a rateable value under £2,900 - until they (industrial premises (for example warehouses))’re reoccupied

properties owned by charities - only if the property’s (your property) next use will be mostly for charitable purposes

community amateur sports clubs buildings - only if the next use will be mostly as a sports club

Contact your local council to let them know when your property becomes vacant.

Hardship relief

In England, councils can reduce your business rates bill with hardship relief.

To be eligible, you must satisfy your council that both:

you would be in financial difficulties without it (your council)

giving hardship relief to you is in the interests of local people

Contact your local council and explain your situation if you think you’re eligible.

Transitional relief

Transitional relief limits how much your bill can change each year as a result of revaluation.

This (limits) means changes to your bill are phased in gradually, if you’re eligible.

You get transitional relief if your:

property is in England

rates go up or down by more than a certain amount

Your council will adjust your bill automatically if you’re eligible.

How much your bill can change by

How much your bill can change by from one year to the next depends on both:

your property’s rateable value

whether your bill is increasing or decreasing as a result of revaluation

You stop getting transitional relief when your bill reaches the full amount set by a revaluation.

The business rates year is from 1 April to 31 March the following year.

If your bill is increasing

Rateable value | 2017 to 2018 | 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022

Up to £20,000 (£28,000 in London) | 5.0% | 7.5% | 10.0% | 15.0% | 15.0%

20,001 (28,001 in London) to £99,999 | 12.5% | 17.5% | 20.0% | 25.0% | 25.0%

Over £100,000 | 42.0% | 32.0% | 49.0% | 16.0% | 6.0%

If your bill is decreasing

Up to £20,000 (£28,000 in London) | 20.0% | 30.0% | 35.0% | 55.0% | 55.0%

20,001 (28,001 in London) to £99,999 | 10.0% | 15.0% | 20.0% | 25.0% | 25.0%

Over £100,000 | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 4.8%

If you’ve received a transitional certificate

The transitional certificate value will be used in the business rates calculation for your property instead of the usual rateable value.

If you disagree with the value of the certificate (a transitional certificate), contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

Retail discount

You could qualify for retail discount if your business is a:

shop

restaurant, café, bar or pub

cinema or music venue

hospitality or leisure business - for example, a gym, a spa, a casino or a hotel

Contact your local council to find out if you’re eligible.

What you’ll get

If you’re eligible, you could get:

100% off your business rates bills for the 2020 to 2021 tax year (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021)

100% off your business rates bills for the first 3 months of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021)

66% off your business rates bills for the rest of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022) - up to a total value of £2 million

If your business was legally allowed to open during the national lockdown starting 5 January 2021, your discount for 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022 will be capped at £105,000 rather than £2 million.

You can get the retail discount (Retail discount) on top of any other business rates relief you’re eligible for.

If you opt out of the retail discount for the 2021 to 2022 tax year you cannot change your mind.

Local newspaper relief

You could get local newspaper relief if your property is used as office premises for journalists and reporters on a local newspaper.

The relief (local newspaper relief) is a £1,500 reduction in business rates for eligible properties per year.

You can only get the relief (local newspaper relief) for one property per newspaper even if more than one property is used as offices for the newspaper.

If several local newspapers use the same office, they can only get the relief (local newspaper relief) on one newspaper title.

You cannot get the relief (local newspaper relief) for magazines.

Nurseries discount

You could qualify for nurseries discount if both:

your business is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register

your premises is wholly or mainly used to provide the Early Years Foundation Stage of education

What you’ll get

If you’re eligible, you could get:

66% off your business rates bills for the rest of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022) - up to a total value of £105,000

You can get the nurseries discount on top of any other business rates relief you’re eligible for.

If you opt out of the nurseries discount for the 2021 to 2022 tax year you cannot change your mind.


Water and sewerage rates for businesses

Water

You’ll have to pay for any water your business uses, and for the drainage of water and effluent (liquid waste) from your premises.

Ofwat regulates the water industry in England and Wales. There are different regulators in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

How you’ll be charged

You’ll be charged either:

for the water you use, plus a set charge (if you’ve got a meter)

a set amount, usually based on the value of your property

Your business could be eligible for a large user tariff, meaning your water might be cheaper. This (charged) is because it often costs less to supply larger businesses.

Sewerage and effluent

You’ll be charged for any ‘foul sewerage’ (such as wastewater from a toilet or kitchen) and drainage from your property. The amount you pay is usually linked to how much water you use.

You’ll also have to pay for any effluent (liquid waste) you produce. Effluent is water contaminated with things like:

fats, oils and grease

chemicals

food waste

The amount your water supplier will charge is usually based on the amount and strength of the effluent before it reaches the sewer.

Sewerage charges can either appear on your water bill or your effluent bill, depending on your supplier.

Choosing a supplier

You may be able to choose your water and sewerage service provider depending on where your business is.

In England and Wales you can check with Ofwat whether you can choose your own supplier.

In Scotland choose your supplier from the Water Commission’s list of suppliers.

In Northern Ireland you can’t choose your own supplier - water is supplied by Northern Ireland Water.


Tax and customs for goods sent from abroad

Overview

Anything posted or couriered to you from another country goes through customs to check it is not banned or restricted and you pay the right tax and ‘duty’ on it.

This (Anything posted or couriered to you from another country) includes anything new or used that you:

buy online

buy abroad and send back to the UK

receive as a gift

Your responsibilities

Before receiving your goods, you may have to pay VAT, Customs Duty or Excise Duty if they were sent to:

Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) from outside the UK

Northern Ireland from countries outside the UK and the European Union (EU)

You must also check that the sender:

pays Excise Duty on any alcohol or tobacco sent from the EU (the European Union (EU) to Northern Ireland

declares goods correctly if they’re sent from outside the UK (or from outside the EU (the European Union (EU) for Northern Ireland)

Your goods may be seized if you do not follow the rules. You may also be fined or prosecuted.

Tax and duty

You’ll be contacted by Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier company if you need to pay any VAT, duty or delivery charges (‘handling fees’) to receive your goods.

They (Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier company)’ll send you a bill stating exactly which fees you need to pay.

They (Royal Mail, Parcelforce or the courier company)’ll normally hold your parcel for about 3 weeks. If you have not paid the bill (a bill stating exactly which fees you need to pay) by then, your parcel will be returned to the sender.

You will not have to pay anything to the delivery company to receive goods worth less than £135 unless they’re gifts over £39 or excise goods (for example, alcohol and tobacco).

VAT

VAT is charged on all goods (except for gifts worth £39 or less) sent from:

outside the UK to Great Britain (Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland))

outside the UK and the EU (the European Union (EU) to Northern Ireland

VAT is not charged on goods that are gifts worth £39 or less.

You pay VAT when you buy the goods or to the delivery company before you receive them. If you have to pay VAT to the delivery company, it’s charged on the total package value, including:

the value of the goods

postage, packaging and insurance

any duty you owe

VAT is charged at the VAT rate that applies to your goods (the goods).

Goods worth £135 or less in total

If you bought the goods (goods worth less than £135) yourself and they (goods worth less than £135) are not excise goods, the seller will have included VAT in the total you paid.

You will need to pay VAT to the delivery company if the goods are:

gifts sent to you by someone else and worth more than £39

excise goods

Goods worth more than £135 in total

You will have to pay VAT to the delivery company either before the goods (goods worth less than £135) are delivered or when you collect them (goods worth less than £135).

Customs Duty

You’ll be charged Customs Duty on all goods sent from outside the UK (or the UK and the EU (the European Union (EU) if you’re in Northern Ireland) if they’re either:

excise goods

worth more than £135

If you’re charged Customs Duty, you’ll need to pay it on both:

the price paid for the goods

postage, packaging and insurance

Type and value of goods | Customs Duty

Non-excise goods worth £135 or less | No charge

Gifts above £135 and up to £630 | 2.5%, but rates are lower for some goods - call the helpline

Gifts above £630 and other goods above £135 | The rate depends on the type of goods and where they (goods worth less than £135) came from - call the helpline

You pay Customs Duty on excise goods of any value.

Excise Duty

If you’re sent alcohol or tobacco from outside the UK, you’ll be charged Excise Duty at current rates.

If the goods are sent from the EU (the European Union (EU) to Northern Ireland, check that the Excise Duty (Excise Duty) was included in the price. If it (Excise Duty)’s not, your goods may be seized.

It does not matter whether you buy the goods or they’re sent as a gift.

If you receive large amounts of alcohol or tobacco for your business, use the Trade Tariff to check duty rates.

Your goods can also be seized if they’re:

spirits over 35 centilitres without a UK (the UK) duty stamp

cigarettes or hand-rolling tobacco without UK (the UK) health warnings or fiscal marks

If you’re charged too much or return your goods

Ask for a refund of VAT or Customs Duty if you:

return your goods

think you’ve been charged too much

Download and fill in:

form BOR 286 if Royal Mail or Parcelforce delivered the goods (your goods)

form C285 if a courier or freight company delivered the goods

Documents

Check that goods sent to you from outside the UK (or outside the UK and the EU (the European Union (EU) for goods in Northern Ireland) are declared to customs correctly.

If they (Your goods)’re not declared correctly, your goods may be seized.

You must either:

check that the sender fills in the customs declaration form correctly

fill in the customs declaration (the customs declaration form) yourself - this can delay getting your goods by at least 4 weeks

Filling in the customs declaration (the customs declaration form) yourself

The sender must write ‘goods to be declared by importer’ on the customs declaration form.

Before you can collect your goods, you’ll be sent:

a full customs declaration form to fill in

a letter explaining how to pay any tax or duty you owe

Gifts

To qualify as gifts, goods must be:

described as gifts on the customs declaration (the customs declaration form)

for a birthday, anniversary or other occasion

bought and sent between individuals (not companies)

intended for personal use

Sending more than one gift

If you’re sending more than one gift in the same parcel, you get the Customs Duty and VAT-free allowance for each gift if they’re:

for different people

listed on the customs declaration (the customs declaration form) with their individual values

wrapped individually


Dealing with your limited company's debts

If your company cannot pay its debts

Your limited company can be liquidated (‘wound up’) if it cannot pay its debts.

The people or organisations your company owes money to (your ‘creditors’) can apply to the court to get their debts (its debts) paid.

They can do this (apply) by either:

getting a court judgment

making an official request for payment - this is called a statutory demand

Get professional advice from a solicitor or insolvency practitioner if your company is in debt.

Responding to a court judgment

You have 14 days to respond to a court judgment.

To respond, you must do one of the following:

pay the debt

reach an agreement with the creditor to pay the debt in the future, for example by using a Company Voluntary Arrangement

put your company into administration

apply to liquidate (‘wind up’) your company yourself

challenge the court judgment (a court judgment)

If you do not respond to the court judgment (a court judgment) within 14 days, your creditors can apply to have your assets seized by a bailiff or sheriff.

Your creditors can apply to wind up your company if your assets are not worth enough to pay your debts.

Responding to a statutory demand

You have 21 days to respond to a statutory demand.

pay the debt

put your company into administration

Your creditors can apply to wind up your company if you do not respond to the statutory demand (a statutory demand) within 21 days.

Stop your creditors from applying to wind up your company

You can apply to the court to stop (‘restrain’) your creditors from applying to wind up your company. You must do this within 21 days of getting the statutory demand (a statutory demand).

Download and fill in application form IAA.

Which court you apply to depends on how much money shareholders have paid into your company by buying shares (‘paid up share capital’).

Check the Companies House register to find out your company’s (your company) paid up share capital.

Your paid up share capital is less than £120,000

Use the court finder to find a court dealing with insolvency. You must use the court nearest your company’s (your company) registered office.

Your paid up share capital is more than £120,000

You must apply to the High Court.

Getting a winding-up order

Your creditors can apply to the court (the High Court) to close down your company. They do this by making an application called a ‘winding-up petition’.

You can apply to stop your creditors from making a winding-up petition if you were given a statutory demand.

They (Your creditors) can withdraw the petition (a winding-up petition) if your company pays the debt or makes an arrangement to pay it.

Attending the hearing

If the petition is accepted, the court (the High Court) will arrange a date for a hearing.

You must attend the hearing (a hearing). Your creditors will announce when and where the hearing (a hearing) will take place in The Gazette.

Your company can be put into the control of someone else until the hearing (a hearing) happens. This is known as ‘provisional liquidation’.

If the court (the High Court) decides you cannot pay your debts

The court (the High Court) will issue a winding-up order.

An officer of the court (the High Court) (‘official receiver’) will be put in charge of winding-up your company. You must co-operate with the official receiver.

When you get a winding-up order:

your company’s (your company) bank account will usually be frozen

its (your company) assets or property will be sold by the official receiver

If any part of your company is bought with the intention of discontinuing the business (not running it as a ‘going concern’) then your employees will lose their jobs.

You can be banned from being a director for up to 15 years if you do not carry out your duties properly.

Cancel a winding-up order

You can apply to cancel a winding-up order if you do not think you need to pay your creditors. You must do this within 5 working days of getting the order (a winding-up order).


Data protection and your business

Overview

You must follow rules on data protection if your business stores or uses personal information.

This (rules on data protection) applies to information kept on staff, customers and account holders, for example when you:

recruit staff

manage staff records

market your products or services

use CCTV

This could include:

keeping customers’ addresses on file

recording staff working hours

giving delivery information to a delivery company

For information on direct marketing, see marketing and advertising: the law.

Data protection rules

You must make sure the information is kept secure, accurate and up to date.

When you collect someone’s personal data you must tell them who you are and how you’ll use their information, including if it’s being shared with other organisations.

You must also tell them (someone’s) that they (someone’s) have the right to:

see any information you hold about them (someone’s) and correct it if it’s wrong

request their (someone’s) data is deleted

request their (someone’s) data (someone’s personal data) is not used for certain purposes

The main data protection rules are set out in the data protection principles.

What you have to do

You must:

tell the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) how your business uses personal information

respond to a data protection request, if someone asks to see what information you have about them

You could be given a heavy fine or made to pay compensation if you misuse personal data.

Recruitment and managing staff records

You must keep any data you collect on staff secure - lock paper records in filing cabinets or set passwords for computer records, for example.

Only keep the information (any data you collect on staff) for as long as you have a clear business need for it (any data you collect on staff), and dispose of it (any data you collect on staff) securely afterwards - by shredding, for example.

Recruiting staff

You must give the name of your business and contact details (or those of the agency) on job adverts.

Only collect the personal information you need on application forms, and do not ask for irrelevant information, like banking details.

Only keep the information for recruitment - do not use it for a marketing mailing list, for example.

Keeping staff records

Make sure only appropriate staff, with the right training, can see staff records, and store sensitive information (such as health or criminal records) separately.

If you’re asked to provide a reference, check the worker or ex-staff member is happy for you to do so.

Letting staff see their records

Your staff have the right to ask for a copy of the information you hold about them.

This includes information about grievance and disciplinary issues.

You must respond to their (Your staff) request within 30 days.

You may be able to withhold some information when responding to a request if the information (information about grievance and disciplinary issues) concerns someone else - you need to protect someone who’s accused them (staff) of harassment, for example.

Staff can complain if they think their information is being misused, and you could be ordered to pay a fine or compensation.

Monitoring staff at work

You must be able to justify monitoring staff at work, which could include:

using CCTV

keeping records of phone calls

logging their (Your staff) email or internet use

searching staff or their work areas

Employees have rights at work and if you do not treat them fairly they could:

take you to an employment tribunal

complain to the Information Commissioner

You must make them (Employees) aware that they (Employees)’re being monitored, and why - for example by sending them (Employees) an email.

Also explain your policies on things like using work computers or phones for personal use.

Monitoring staff without their knowledge

You can monitor staff without their knowledge if:

you suspect they (staff)’re breaking the law

letting them (staff) know about it (monitor) would make it hard to detect the crime

Only do this (monitor) as part of a specific investigation, and stop when the investigation is over.

Using CCTV

If your business uses CCTV, you must register your details with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and pay a data protection fee, unless you are exempt.

Check if you need to pay the data protection fee (a data protection fee).

You must also:

tell people they may be recorded, usually by displaying signs, which must be clearly visible and readable

control who can see the recordings

make sure the system is only used for the purpose it was intended for - for example, if it was set up to detect crime, you must not use it to monitor how much work your staff do

The ICO (the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has guidance with more details about CCTV.

How to pay the fee (a data protection fee)

You can register and pay the fee (a data protection fee) online.

Letting people see CCTV recordings

Anyone can ask to see images that you’ve recorded of them. Usually, you must usually provide the footage (CCTV recordings) free of charge within 1 calendar month.

Find out more about CCTV and data protection rules.

Data protection rules do not apply if you install a camera on your own home for household purposes - for example, to protect it from burglary. Find out more about using CCTV in the home.

Get advice on data protection

For more information and advice:

read the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidance for organisations

chat online with an advisor

contact the ICO (the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)


Become a childminder or nanny (England)

Overview

If you want to be paid to look after children under 8, you might need to register with Ofsted or a childminder agency.

You can get a fine if you do not register when you need to.

You must register as a childminder if all of the following apply:

the children are under the age of 8

you look after them (the children) for more than 2 hours a day

you look after them (the children) in your own home

you get paid to look after them (the children) - including payment in kind

You can register with Ofsted online. To register with a childminder agency, contact them directly.

There are different rules if you want to provide daycare outside someone’s home - for example a nursery or creche.

You do not need to register if you’re:

a nanny

a tutor

a babysitter and if you look after the children between 6pm and 2am

a family friend and if you look after the children less than 3 hours a day

You can still choose to register if you’re a nanny or in other situations. This helps the child’s parents qualify for free childcare.

Check which register to join if you’re not sure.

Who cannot register

You cannot register if you:

are under 18

are related to all of the children you look after

do not have the legal right to work in the UK

are barred from working with children

have been disqualified

have been refused registration in the past or had your registration cancelled - unless it was because you did not pay your annual fee

are childminding in a home where a disqualified person lives or works

If you’ve been disqualified, you may be able to apply to waive your disqualification

Which register to join

There are 2 registers - the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register.

Which register you join depends on:

the age of the children you’re looking after

if you’re registering as a childminder or a nanny

You’ll be prompted to join the correct register when you apply.

Children up to the age of 5

If you’re a childminder and you look after children from birth to 5 years old you must join the Early Years Register. This (the Early Years Register) lets you look after children up to 31 August after their fifth birthday.

You’ll get a registration visit from Ofsted when you apply.

After you join the register (the Early Years Register) you must follow the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework.

Nannies cannot join the Early Years Register.

Children from 5 to 8 years old

If you’re a childminder and you look after children from 5 to 8 years old you must join the Childcare Register. This (the Childcare Register) lets you look after children from 1 September after their fifth birthday up to their eighth birthday.

As a nanny you can choose to join the Childcare Register, regardless of the age of the children you’re looking after.

You may be inspected by Ofsted. You may also get a registration visit.

How much it costs

You need to pay an annual registration fee to Ofsted. You’ll also have to pay for things like criminal record checks, training and insurance.

Registration fee (an annual registration fee)

You’ll have to pay the registration fee (an annual registration fee) each year.

| Cost for childminders | Cost for nannies

Childminders - caring only for children aged 5 or under | £35 | Not applicable

Childminders - caring only for children aged 5 or older | £103 | Not applicable

Childminders - caring for children of all ages | £35 | Not applicable

Register as a nanny | Not applicable | £103

Criminal record and health checks

Your criminal record check | £48.10 | £48.10

Checks for adults in your home | £48.10 each | Not applicable

Criminal record check update service (recommended) | £13/year | £13/year

GP to fill in and sign health declaration booklet | £90 (approximately) | Not applicable

Training

First aid course to cover the age groups you look after | £60 to £200 (approximately) | £60 to £200 (approximately)

Childcare training on the type of care you will provide - ask your council | £50 to £200 (approximately) | £60 to £200 (approximately)

Other costs

Insurance | Cost

Public liability insurance | £25 to £100 (approximately)

Keeping digital records | Cost

Register with ICO to keep digital records of children (childminders only) | £40

Register as a nanny

You can register with Ofsted as a nanny or au pair to look after children in their own home.

A nanny can look after children from 1 or 2 families at the same time.

If you want to look after children from more than 2 families at the same time in your home, you’ll need to register as a childminder instead.

You will need:

an enhanced criminal record check with barred lists from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) - you must get the right criminal record check

first aid training

childcare training - speak to your local council

public liability insurance

a certificate of good character from an embassy - if you’ve lived abroad in the past 5 years

Ofsted will reject your application if you do not have the correct documents.

How much it costs

It costs £103 to register with Ofsted. This fee is not refundable.

Find out about other costs.

How long it takes

It usually takes up to 12 weeks to process your application.

Register online

It should take you about 15 minutes to fill in the form.

Register as a nanny

Register as a childminder

You must register with Ofsted to look after children in your home.

If you’re looking after children in their own home, you should register with Ofsted as a nanny or au pair instead.

You will need:

first aid training for the age group you will look after

a health declaration booklet

contact details for 2 references

Checks on other people in your home

If anyone aged 16 or over lives with you or works in your home regularly, they’ll need to get an enhanced criminal record check with barred lists.

The type of check they (anyone aged 16 or over) get depends on their (anyone aged 16 or over) role. For example your partner would need to get a different check to someone who works in your home, like a cleaner.

They (your partner)’ll also need to get a certificate of good character from an embassy if they (your partner)’ve lived abroad in the last 5 years.

How much it costs

It usually costs £35 to register with Ofsted. This fee is not refundable.

Find out about other costs.

How long it takes

Register online

It should take you about 30 minutes to fill in the form.

Register as a childminder

After you apply

When you submit your application Ofsted will:

do background checks with local authorities

check your references

give you a reference number to use if you have questions about your application

If you’re a childminder

An inspector will visit you to check:

your identity and qualifications - including first aid qualifications

your house and garden are safe for children

that you’re familiar with the early years foundation stage (EYFS) requirements and know how to put them into practice

your level of English

You will not usually get a registration visit if you’re only looking after children aged over 5.

Find out how to prepare for your registration visit.

If your application is approved

You’ll get a certificate of registration if your application is approved. You will need this to start work as a childminder.

Ofsted will publish your unique reference number (‘URN’) and inspection reports online. If you’re a childminder they (Ofsted) will also publish your name and address - unless you tell them (Ofsted) not to.

If your application is refused

Ofsted will send you a letter called a ‘notice of intention’ which will tell you why you’ve been turned down.

You’ll be disqualified from applying again in future.

Object to a decision

You can object to a decision if you’ve been sent a ‘notice of intention’.

You must object within 14 days of the date on the notice (a ‘notice of intention’).

Ofsted will consider your objection, then tell you if:

you’re still refused registration

you cannot look after children in a particular home

your decision is overturned

If you do not object, or Ofsted does not change its (Ofsted) decision, you’ll get a second letter called a ‘notice of decision’. This is the final decision to refuse registration or approval of a certain premises.

Appeal a decision

If you disagree with Ofsted’s (Ofsted) final decision (its (Ofsted) decision), you can appeal to an independent tribunal.

You must appeal within 3 months of the date that you’re sent the notice of decision.

After you're registered

You must continue to meet the registration standards while you’re working as a childminder or nanny.

You’ll need to:

pay the annual registration fee

keep your details up to date

report any major accidents or incidents

Ofsted will inspect childminders and some nannies.

Keep your details up to date

You must tell Ofsted if:

you change where you’re working

your contact details change

you stop working as a childminder or nanny

If you’re a childminder

You must tell Ofsted if:

anyone 16 or over moves into your home or leaves your home

your childminding assistants change

Reporting accidents and incidents

Use the early years incident online form to report:

a serious accident, injury or illness to a child, for example food poisoning

allegations that someone living, working or looking after children in your household has committed serious harm or abuse

anything that might affect the suitability of someone on the premises to look after children

a child’s death

Providing other types of childcare

If you’re a childminder, you can apply to set up childcare on non-domestic premises (for example, a playgroup or after-school club). You can work here for up to half of your time.

If you want to work with 3 or more childminders or childminding assistants in your home, you’ll need to register as a daycare organisation (this is known as ‘providing childcare on domestic premises’).


Farm and livery horses

Looking after horses

A horse is considered to be an agricultural animal if it is used to farm agricultural land or is farmed for meat or hides.

Horses on farms or in stables and livery yards are protected by the Animal Welfare Act. If you own or are responsible for a horse, you have a duty to look after its basic welfare by:

providing it (a horse) with a suitable place to live

giving it (a horse) a suitable diet

protecting it (a horse) from pain, injury, suffering and disease

making sure it (a horse) can behave normally and naturally

You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months if you are cruel to an animal or do not care for it properly. You may also be banned from owning animals in future.

The standards for looking after horses on farms or in livery yards are set out in the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ‘Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and their Hybrids’.

Failing to follow the Code of Practice could be used against you if you are prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act.

Stables and livery yards

At a livery yard, horses are housed and cared for in return for payment but do not belong to the owner of the yard.

Health and safety standards for livery yards are set out by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH).

Planning permission for stables and livery yards

Stables and livery yards require planning permission:

in England and Wales

in Scotland

You can make a planning application online.

Dealing with waste

Horse manure

Horse manure is not considered waste if all of the following apply:

it (Horse manure) is used as soil fertiliser

it (Horse manure) is used lawfully for spreading on clearly identified pieces of agricultural land

it (Horse manure) is only stored to be used for spreading on agricultural land

If you store or spread horse waste near to water, it can be a health hazard and could harm the environment. You will need to follow rules on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and follow rules on the pollution of groundwater.

Getting rid of solid waste

Solid waste includes things like:

contaminated bedding

food containers

horse manure (if not used as soil fertiliser)

empty pesticide and other chemical containers

plastics such as silage wrap, bags and sheets

tyres, batteries, clinical waste, old machinery and oil

You must use a licensed facility to get rid of solid waste - it’s against the law to dump or burn it.

Contact the Environment Agency or your local authority for information on how to get rid of solid waste.

Some biodegradable waste can be composted. Composting plants must be registered with the Environment Agency. You may need an environmental permit for on-site composting of some materials.

Transporting horses

You should not transport a horse in a way that may cause it harm or distress. There are welfare regulations for transporting live animals, including for commercial reasons.

Horses, ponies and donkeys must have a horse passport with them whenever they are transported.

There are other rules you must follow if you’re importing or exporting an animal, even if you’re only transporting them overseas temporarily.

Death and disease

If you think that a horse has a notifiable disease then you must immediately contact your local Animal Health Office.

Fallen stock

If a horse dies or has to be put down on your premises, you will have to arrange its disposal as fallen stock under animal by-products (ABPs) controls.

This includes:

entire animal bodies

parts of animals

products of animal origin

other products obtained from animals that are not for human consumption.

You must deal with ABPs promptly to protect people, animals and the environment. In most cases, this will mean arranging for them to be taken away to approved premises, like:

rendering plants

incinerators

collection centres

storage plants

Your local council can provide a list of approved premises for the disposal of ABPs.

The National Fallen Stock Scheme is a not-for-profit scheme which helps farmers and animal owners to follow the law on disposing of fallen stock.


Report a suspected problem with an animal medicine or microchip

Overview

You can report an unexpected reaction to an animal medicine or microchip to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). You can also report if an animal medicine has not worked.

How you report the reaction (an unexpected reaction to an animal medicine or microchip) depends on whether:

an animal has reacted to animal medicine or to a microchip

a human has reacted to animal medicine

VMD (the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)) will use the information you provide to help make sure that animal medicines and microchips are used safely and effectively.

Report an animal's reaction to animal medicine

You can report when a medicine may not have worked, or could have made your animal unwell.

You’ll be asked for details of:

the medicine (a medicine), including batch number and marketing authorisation number if known

the animal that was affected (an animal's), for example the species, breed and age

when and how the medicine (a medicine) was first given to the animal (an animal's)

the symptoms

Send your report

If you cannot report online

Download and fill in the form for reporting reactions in animals. Send it (your report) to the address on the form.

Report an animal's reaction to a microchip

You can report suspected incidents with animal microchips including:

a reaction to the chip being implanted, such as injury, infection or prolonged bleeding

if a chip’s moved from where it was implanted or has come out

a chip that does not read properly

You’ll need the microchip number to make a report.

Send your report

Contact VMD (the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)) if you cannot report the incident online.

Report a person's reaction to animal medicine

You can report a suspected reaction you or someone else has had to an animal medicine while using it on an animal, for example a skin allergy.

You’ll be asked for details of:

the medicine (an animal medicine), including the batch number and marketing authorisation number (if you know it)

the people affected - and how and when they came into contact with the medicine (an animal medicine)

the symptoms

Send your report

If you cannot report online

Download and fill in the form for reporting reactions in humans. Send it (your report) to the address on the form (the form for reporting reactions in animals).

Contact the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) Pharmacovigilance Team if you have any questions about reporting reactions.


How copyright protects your work

Overview

Copyright protects your work and stops others from using it without your permission.

You get copyright protection automatically - you don’t have to apply or pay a fee. There isn’t a register of copyright works in the UK.

You automatically get copyright protection when you create:

original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography

original non-literary written work, such as software, web content and databases

sound and music recordings

film and television recordings

broadcasts

the layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works

You can mark your work with the copyright symbol (©), your name and the year of creation. Whether you mark the work or not doesn’t affect the level of protection you have.

How copyright protects your work

Copyright prevents people from:

copying your work

distributing copies of it (your work), whether free of charge or for sale

renting or lending copies of your work

performing, showing or playing your work in public

making an adaptation of your work

putting it (your work) on the internet

Copyright overseas

Your work could be protected by copyright in other countries through international agreements, for example the Berne Convention.

In most countries copyright lasts a minimum of life plus 50 years for most types of written, dramatic and artistic works, and at least 25 years for photographs. It can be different for other types of work.

Contact the IPO Information Centre if you have a question about international copyright.

How long copyright lasts

Copyright protection starts as soon as a work is created. Once your copyright has expired, anyone can use or copy your work.

The length of copyright depends on the type of work.

Type of work | How long copyright usually lasts

Written, dramatic, musical and artistic work | 70 years after the author’s death

Sound and music recording | 70 years from when it’s first published

Films | 70 years after the death of the director, screenplay author and composer

Broadcasts | 50 years from when it’s first broadcast

Layout of published editions of written, dramatic or musical works | 25 years from when it’s first published

The length of copyright also depends on how long ago the work was created.

You can read more guidance about how long copyright lasts.

Contact the IPO Information Centre if you have questions about the copyright of an older work.

License and sell your copyright

You can license the use of your work if you own the copyright (your copyright). You can also decide how your work is used.

You can register your work with a licensing body, for example a collecting society, who will agree licences with users for you and collect royalties for you.

Sell or transfer your copyright

You’ll need to write and sign a document (sometimes called an ‘assignment’) to show a sale or transfer has taken place.

Your copyright can be transferred by inheritance and will be valid as long as the work (your work) remains in copyright - check how long protection lasts.

Moral rights

You can keep or waive your ‘moral rights’, which include the right to:

be identified as the author of your work

object to how the work (your work) is presented, for example if you think it (your work)’s ‘derogatory’ or damaging to you or your reputation

object to changes made to your work

Performers’ rights

You have rights in your performances separate to copyright if you’re a performer.

For example, if you’re an actor in a play you may have ‘economic rights’ in any recordings or broadcasts of their performance, even if the copyright is sold.

Stop people using your work

You’re responsible for defending your copyright material against infringement.

Some people or organisations (such as libraries or schools) may be able to use copyright work without permission. You should check whether someone’s use of your work is permitted before trying to stop them.

If you think someone is using your work and they don’t know you own the rights

People or organisations must apply for a licence if they want to use a work that’s covered by copyright but don’t know who the rights holder is.

Check the licences register to see if anyone has licensed your work or is in the process of applying for a licence. If your work is on the register you can:

apply to have an application stopped

claim the licence fee that’s been paid (if a licence has already been issued)

If you have a dispute about licensing

Your collecting society can contact the Copyright Tribunal and ask them to decide on some disputes about licensing.

They (Your collecting society) can also contact them (the Copyright Tribunal) by post.

Help with copyright law

The IPO Information Centre offers general advice on copyright law.

You can get advice on particular legal issues from an intellectual property (IP) professional.

If you’d like more guidance about an area of copyright law

You can also ask IPO (The IPO Information Centre) to publish guidance about an area of copyright law.

They (The IPO Information Centre) might publish a public ‘copyright notice’ if your question highlights a gap in the general copyright guidance.


Classify different types of waste

Overview

You must identify and classify your waste before you send it for recycling or disposal. This makes sure you or anyone handling your waste deals with it properly.

There are special rules for dealing with hazardous waste or disposing of waste with a high level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), (known as ‘POPs waste’).

Filling in waste transfer or consignment notes

You must describe your waste in the paperwork you give your waste contractor. This must include:

the waste classification code, also referred to as LoW (List of Waste) or EWC (European Waste Catalogue) code - classification codes for common types of waste are in the relevant parts of this guidance

whether it (your waste)’s hazardous or POPs waste

the type of premises or business where the waste (your waste) was produced

the name of the substance or substances

the process that produced the waste (your waste)

a chemical and physical analysis of the waste (your waste) and its (your waste) components

any special problems, requirements or knowledge related to the waste (your waste)

If you cannot find a code for your waste

Check the technical guidance on waste, it includes more information about waste classification and assessing waste.

You must not use landfill waste acceptance criteria (WAC) results for waste classification purposes.

How to find out if your waste is hazardous or POPs waste

In most cases you can check the waste code or codes associated with your waste to see if they are hazardous and POPs waste. You must make sure your waste contractor can dispose of this waste properly.

Some waste items have more than one classification, depending on the possible mix of substances in them.

In these cases you must work out exactly what is in your waste, and how much of it is hazardous or POPs.

Check the manufacturers’ product safety data sheets for this information or carry out an assessment.

Many products include orange and black danger symbols or red and white hazard pictograms to indicate they’re hazardous.

Some products (for example cosmetics and medicines) are not normally labelled with hazard symbols - check the product’s safety data sheet.

Read the technical guidance on waste and guidance on dealing with POPs waste) for more information on checking for hazardous substances and POPs.

Mixing waste

It’s illegal to mix hazardous or POPs waste with either non-hazardous or another hazardous waste.

Check how to mix and store hazardous waste.

You will usually need more than one code if you store more than one type of non-hazardous waste in your container.

If you need more help

Get advice from a specialist waste contractor if you’re not sure whether it’s hazardous or not.

For more information, contact the Environment Agency.

Construction and demolition waste

The tables below list waste codes for common construction and demolition waste.

You can find additional codes for other waste and advice on how to apply these codes in the technical guidance on waste.

Insulation and asbestos materials

| Waste status | Waste code

Insulation containing asbestos | Hazardous | 17-06-01*

Other insulation containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-06-03*

Other insulation materials | Non-hazardous | 17-06-04

Other construction materials containing asbestos | Hazardous | 17-06-05*

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics

This list (The tables below) excludes asbestos-containing materials - refer to the insulation and asbestos materials table for any waste with asbestos.

| Waste status | Waste code

Concrete | Non-hazardous | 17-01-01

Bricks | Non-hazardous | 17-01-02

Tiles and ceramics | Non-hazardous | 17-01-03

Concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics (alone or in mixtures) containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-01-06*

Concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics in mixtures, containing no hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 17-01-07

Wood, glass and plastic

This list (The tables below) excludes packaging wastes and domestic type recyclables - refer to the packaging section for related codes.

| Waste status | Waste code

Wood - untreated | Non-hazardous | 17-02-01

Glass - uncontaminated | Non-hazardous | 17-02-02

Plastic - excludes packaging waste | Non-hazardous | 17-02-03

Treated wood, glass, plastic (alone or in mixtures) containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-02-04*

Bituminous mixtures, coal tar and tar

| Waste status | Waste code

Bituminous mixtures containing coal tar | Hazardous | 17-03-01*

Other bituminous mixtures | Non-hazardous | 17-03-02

Coal tar and tarred products | Hazardous | 17-03-03*

Metallic waste, including cable

| Waste status | Waste code

Copper, bronze and brass | Non-hazardous | 17-04-01

Aluminium | Non-hazardous | 17-04-02

Lead | Non-hazardous | 17-04-03

Iron and steel | Non-hazardous | 17-04-05

Tin | Non-hazardous | 17-04-06

Mixed metals | Non-hazardous | 17-04-07

Metals containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-04-09*

Cables containing oil, coal tar and other hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-04-10*

Other cables | Non-hazardous | 17-04-11

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Soil, contaminated soil, stones and dredging spoil

You must be able to prove that your waste does not contain any hazardous substances to classify soil as non-hazardous - you’ll always need to assess the soil before you hand it over to be collected.

The presence of any fragments of asbestos-containing material in the soil results in a mixed hazardous waste - refer to the insulation and asbestos materials table for more guidance.

| Waste status | Waste code

Soil and stones containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-05-03*

Other soil and stones | Non-hazardous | 17-05-04

Dredging spoil containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-05-05*

Other dredging spoil | Non-hazardous | 17-05-06

Gypsum

| Waste status | Waste code

Gypsum materials containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 17-08-01*

Other gypsum materials | Non-hazardous | 17-08-02

Cement

| Waste status | Waste code

Un-used or un-set cement | Hazardous | 17-09-03*

Paints and varnishes

Paints and varnishes of a type normally used by householders can be classified under the codes indicated in brackets if separated out from other waste.

| Waste status | Waste code

Containing organic solvents or other hazardous substances | Hazardous | 08-01-11* (20-01-27*)

Not containing organic solvents or other hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 08-01-12 (20-01-28)

Paint or varnish remover | Hazardous | 08-01-21*

Paint cans | Hazardous | Refer to packaging waste and recyclables section

Adhesives and sealants

Adhesives and sealants of a type normally used by householders can be classified under the codes indicated in brackets if separated out from other waste.

| Waste status | Waste code

Containing organic solvents or other hazardous substances | Hazardous | 08-04-09* (20-01-27*)

Not containing organic solvents or other hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 08-04-10 (20-01-28)

Adhesive or sealant containers | Hazardous | Refer to packaging waste and recyclables section

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Packaging waste and recyclables

The tables below list waste codes for common packaging and domestic type recyclable wastes.

You can find additional codes for other waste and advice on how to apply these codes (waste codes for common packaging and domestic type recyclable wastes) in the technical guidance on waste.

Containers must be empty to be classified as packaging waste.

| Waste status | Plastic | Metal | Paper and cardboard | Glass | Textiles

Clean packaging | Non-hazardous | 15-01-02 | 15-01-04 | 15-01-01 | 15-01-07 | 15-01-09

Other clean material, unmixed - excluding packaging | Non-hazardous | 20-01-39 | 20-01-40 | 20-01-01 | 20-01-02 | 20-01-11

Mixed clean material - including packaging | Non-hazardous | 15-01-02 and 20-01-39 | 15-01-04 and 20-01-40 | 15-01-01 and 20-01-01 | 15-01-07 and 20-01-02 | 15-01-09 and 20-01-10

Empty packaging contaminated with residues of hazardous substances, for example paint cans, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and drums | Hazardous | 15-01-10* | 15-01-10* | 15-01-10* | 15-01-10* | 15-01-10*

Empty packaging contaminated with residues of non-hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 15-01-02 | 15-01-04 | 15-01-01 | 15-01-07 | 15-01-09

Electronic and electrical equipment

These tables (The tables below) list common waste codes for batteries, lightbulbs and electrical devices.

You need to include all relevant classification codes if you place waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that would be assigned different codes in the same container.

Hazardous substances or persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste electricals

WEEE often has components that contain hazardous substances or persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These could include:

printed circuit boards

plastic casings, cables and other components

insulation foam

cooling agents

flame retardants

activated glass and screen phosphors

cathode ray tubes

capacitors

Ni-Cd batteries

If the levels of hazardous substances or POPs are over a certain amount the item will be classified as hazardous or POPs waste.

If your WEEE is POPs waste you cannot reuse or recycle it.

There are special rules about:

where you can export WEEE that contains POPs

dealing with hazardous waste

disposing of POPs waste

If you’ve assessed your waste and are still not sure if an item is hazardous or POPs waste, you should treat it as hazardous and POPs waste as a precaution.

Read technical guidance on how to assess waste and identifying POPs waste.

Televisions, computer monitors and other display devices

Components such as screens, circuit boards, batteries or any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs.

| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial

Cathode ray tube (CRT), flatscreen (plasma or LCD) containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* | 16-02-13*

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Fridges, freezers, chillers and air-conditioning units

Components such as circuit boards, motors and any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs. Coolants and foam may also be hazardous. Usually there is not enough POPs for the item to be classified as POPs waste.

Containing ozone-depleting substances as foam blowing agents or coolants | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20-01-23* | 16-02-11*

Other | Hazardous, non-POPs | 20-01-35* | 16-02-13*

Large domestic appliances (LDA): white goods (washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers and cookers)

Components such as circuit boards, motors or any plastic parts may contain hazardous chemicals or POPs. Usually there is not enough for the item to be classified as hazardous or POPs waste.

Large domestic appliances: white goods | Non-hazardous, non-POPs | 20-01-36 | 16-02-14

Small mixed WEEE

These are small household-type electrical items collected from homes or businesses.

Small mixed WEEE containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Other household-type electricals from homes or businesses

These (Other household-type electricals from homes or businesses) are waste electrical items collected from households or businesses that are not already listed and are separated from small mixed WEEE.

Cat 1: Large household appliances (other than LDA (Large domestic appliances (LDA):) white goods) containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 2: Small household appliances containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 3: IT and telecommunication equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 4: Consumer equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 5: Lighting equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 6: Electronic and electrical tools containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

Cat 7: Toys, leisure and sporting equipment containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* and 20 01 36 | n/a

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Lightbulbs and lamps

Components such as circuit boards, plastic parts or casings may contain POPs and hazardous chemicals, such as flame retardants.

You must check the levels of hazardous substances and POPs in the bulbs before you can classify the waste. Read guidance on assessing WEEE for hazardous substances or POPs.

| Waste status | Household | Industrial or commercial

Fluorescent tubes and low energy - excluding LED and other gas-discharge lamps | Hazardous | 20-01-21* | 16-02-13*

LED, halogen and incandescent containing POPs | Hazardous and POPs | 20-01-35* | 16-02-13*

LED, halogen and incandescent not containing hazardous components | Non-hazardous | 20-01-36 | 16-02-14

Batteries

Lead acid (vehicle) | Hazardous | 16-06-01* | 16-06-01*

Lead acid (other) | Hazardous | 20-01-33* | 16-06-01*

Nickel-Cadmium | Hazardous | 20-01-33* | 16-06-02*

Mercury containing | Hazardous | 20-01-33* | 16-06-03*

Alkaline | Non-hazardous | 20-01-34 | 16-06-04

Other - Lithium or Lithium ion | Non-hazardous | 20-01-34 | 16-06-05

Mixed household-type batteries - separately collected | Hazardous | 20-01-33* | Not allowed

Other WEEE, parts and components

If your waste is not listed, you can find more classes in the guidance on classifying waste from dismantling or treating WEEE.

Vehicle and oily wastes

The tables below list waste codes for common wastes produced by vehicle maintenance and dismantling activities.

Vehicle fluids and other oils

You must not mix any of the following fluids:

mineral oils

cooking oils

halogenated oils

brake fluids

anti-freeze

washer fluids

oily waters

Vehicle and other oils

| Waste status | Contains PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) | Mineral-based and chlorinated | Mineral-based and non-chlorinated | Synthetic | Readily biodegradable | Other oils

Hydraulic oils | Hazardous | 13-01-01* | 13-01-09* | 13-01-10* | 13-01-11* | 13-01-12* | 13-01-13*

Engine, gear and lubricating oils | Hazardous | Not applicable | 13-02-04* | 13-02-05* | 13-02-06* | 13-02-07* | 13-02-08*

Insulating and transmission oils | Hazardous | 13-03-01* | 13-03-06* | 13-03-07* | 13-03-08* | 13-03-09* | 13-03-10*

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Interceptor wastes

| Waste status | Waste code

Interceptor sludges | Hazardous | 13-05-03*

Oily water from interceptor | Hazardous | 13-05-07*

Solid waste from interceptor | Hazardous | 13-05-01*

Fuels, brake and anti-freeze fluids

| Waste status | Waste code

Fuel oil and diesel | Hazardous | 13-07-01*

Petrol | Hazardous | 13-07-02*

Other fuels, including mixed fuels from mis-fuelling | Hazardous | 13-07-03*

Brake fluids | Hazardous | 16-01-13*

Antifreeze containing hazardous substances | Hazardous | 16-01-14*

Antifreeze not containing hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 16-01-15

Vehicles and their components

The waste code for end-of-life (no longer usable) tyres is 16-01-03.

Vehicles

| Waste status | Waste code

End-of-life vehicles - un-depolluted | Hazardous | 16-01-04*

End-of-life vehicles - depolluted | Non-hazardous | 16-01-06

Components, including oil filters

| Waste status | Waste code

Oil filters | Hazardous | 16-01-07*

Components containing mercury | Hazardous | 16-01-08*

Components containing PCBs | Hazardous | 16-01-09*

Air bags

The waste code for explosive components (for example air bags) is 16-01-10*.

Brake pads

| Waste status | Waste code

Brake pads containing asbestos | Hazardous | 16-01-11*

Other brake pads | Non-hazardous | 16-01-12

Car batteries

The waste code for lead acid car batteries is 16-06-01*.

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Catalytic converters

The waste code for catalytic converters is 16 01 21*, or 16 01 22 for those that do not contain refractory ceramic fibres (RCF).

End-of-life vehicle wastes

| Waste status | Waste code

Ferrous metal | Non-hazardous | 16-01-17

Non-ferrous metal | Non-hazardous | 16-01-18

Plastic | Non-hazardous | 16-01-19

Vehicle glass | Non-hazardous | 16-01-20

Contaminated materials

| Waste status | Waste code

Clothing, absorbents or wiping cloths contaminated with hazardous substances | Hazardous | 15-02-02*

Clothing, absorbents or wiping clothes contaminated with non-hazardous substances | Non-hazardous | 15-02-03

Healthcare and related wastes

The tables below list waste codes for common healthcare and related wastes.

Additional guidance

Check the guide to the safe management of healthcare waste for additional information about classifying clinical and healthcare waste.

Offensive waste

‘Offensive waste’ is non-clinical waste that’s non-infectious and does not contain pharmaceutical or chemical substances, but may be unpleasant to anyone who comes into contact with it (Offensive waste).

| Examples | Waste status | Human healthcare | Animal healthcare

Healthcare offensive waste | Outer dressings and protective clothing like masks, gowns and gloves that are not contaminated with body fluids, and sterilised laboratory waste | Non-hazardous | 18-01-04 | 18-02-03

Municipal offensive waste | Hygiene waste and sanitary protection like nappies and incontinence pads | Non-hazardous | 20-01-99 | 20-01-99

You must segregate healthcare offensive waste from both clinical and mixed municipal wastes.

If you’ve produced more than 7kg of municipal offensive waste, or have more than one bag in a collection period, you must segregate it from any mixed municipal waste.

If you’ve produced less, you can dispose of your municipal offensive waste in your mixed municipal waste (‘black bag’). Use classification code 20-03-01.

Plaster and similar wastes

Most plaster waste is non-infectious.

It (Most plaster waste) should be kept separately from any plaster waste that’s infectious, which must be placed in the bagged infectious clinical waste stream.

| Waste status | Human healthcare | Animal healthcare

Plaster and similar wastes, for example from dentistry and fracture clinics | Non-hazardous | 18-01-04 | 18-02-03

Waste medicines

A medicine is considered to be cytotoxic or cytostatic for waste classification purposes if it’s any of the following:

acutely toxic

carcinogenic

mutagenic

toxic for reproduction

Cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines | Hazardous | 18-01-08* | 18-02-07*

Other medicines | Non-hazardous | 18-01-09 | 18-02-08

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Household medicines returned to a community pharmacy should be coded as follows:

cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines: 20-01-31*

other medicines: 20-01-32

Sharps and related waste

Cytotoxic and cytostatic contaminated | Hazardous | 18-01-08* and 18-01-03* | 18-02-07* and 18-02-02*

Other medicinally contaminated | Hazardous | 18-01-03* and 18-01-09 | 18-02-02* and 18-02-08

Non-medicinally contaminated | Hazardous | 18-01-03* | 18-02-02*

Anatomical waste

Not chemically preserved - infectious | Hazardous | 18-01-03* | 18-02-02*

Not chemically preserved - non-infectious | Non-hazardous | 18-01-02 | 18-02-03

Chemically preserved - infectious or non-infectious | Hazardous | 18-01-06* and 18-01-02*/03 | 18-02-05* and 18-02-02*/03

Bagged clinical waste

You must only put waste items that are both infectious and chemically contaminated (for example some samples and diagnostic kits) in the yellow bag waste stream.

Infectious clinical waste (no chemicals or pharmaceuticals) - orange bag | Hazardous | 18-01-03* | 18-02-02*

Infectious clinical waste - yellow bag | Hazardous | 18-01-03* and 18-01-06* | 18-02-02* and 18-02-05*

Laboratory chemicals and photochemicals

You must classify photochemicals and film, including X-ray related products, with codes from chapter 9 of the waste code section in the technical guidance on waste.

| Waste status | Human healthcare | Animal healthcare

Other chemicals - hazardous | Hazardous | 18-01-06* | 18-02-05*

Other chemicals - non-hazardous | Non-hazardous | 18-01-07 | 18-02-06


Green Deal: energy saving for your home

Overview

The Green Deal helps you make energy-saving improvements to your home and to find the best way to pay for them.

The improvements that could save you the most energy depend on your home, but typical examples include:

insulation, such as solid wall, cavity wall or loft insulation

heating

draught-proofing

double glazing

renewable energy generation, such as solar panels or heat pumps

If you need help paying for home improvements

You may be able to get a loan through the Green Deal, but you’ll have to pay this back.

Find out if your home will benefit

There are various ways to check if your property could benefit from energy-saving improvements:

use the Energy Efficiency Calculator to find out how you can reduce your energy bills

check which home energy grants you might be able to apply for

talk to a Green Deal (The Green Deal) assessor or provider

The Green Deal may be right for you if you think your property could benefit from energy-saving improvements.

You can also talk to Simple Energy Advice if you’re in England or Wales, or Home Energy Scotland if you’re in Scotland

Find out about call charges

The Green Deal is not available in Northern Ireland.

Green Deal mark

All Green Deal organisations must be authorised. Look for the quality mark, which is a green house with a tick on the roof.

You can also check if a Green Deal company is genuine.

Improvements and benefits to your home

Any household with an electricity meter (including prepayment meters) in England, Scotland or Wales can use the scheme (The Green Deal).

Both the landlord and the tenant must agree to the improvements if the building is rented.

Eligible improvements

You can use the Green Deal for a range of different energy saving measures including:

replacing windows and doors

installing secondary glazing

using energy efficient lighting

insulating your loft or walls

adding draught proofing

upgrading your heating

generating renewable energy from sources such as wind or solar power

But only if your Green Deal assessment recommends them (sources such as wind or solar power).

Get an assessment

You must get your property assessed to use the Green Deal. Contact a Green Deal assessor or ask a Green Deal provider to find an assessor for you.

You may have to pay for an assessment. The assessor must tell you the fee in advance.

What to expect from an assessment

A Green Deal assessor will visit your home, talk to you about your property and your energy use and help you decide if you could benefit from Green Deal (The Green Deal) improvements.

When you book

You may be asked if:

you own or rent the property

your home is a listed building, in a conservation area, built before 1900 or constructed in a non-traditional way

there are access issues, such as access to your loft

you can provide bills showing your recent energy use

When the assessor (A Green Deal assessor) visits

You may be asked:

how many people live in your home (your property)

what type of heating and appliances you use

how often you use your heating

what energy-saving measures are already installed

After the visit

You’ll get a document, called a Green Deal advice report, that contains:

an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that rates your home (your property) for energy efficiency

an occupancy assessment that measures how much energy you and other occupiers are using

improvements your assessor (A Green Deal assessor) recommends

an estimate of the money you could save on your annual energy bills

a statement on whether the improvements will pay for themselves through reduced energy costs

A Green Deal advice report is valid for 10 years, or until you make changes or energy saving improvements to the property, for example you build an extension or change the windows.

The actual savings will depend on how much energy you use and the future cost of energy.

What to do next

You decide:

if you want to get the work done

how you want to pay

Getting the work done

How you decide to get the work done will affect your options for how you pay for the work.

After you get a Green Deal advice report, you can:

ask a Green Deal provider to arrange installation and pay for the work yourself

ask a Green Deal provider to arrange installation and a Green Deal finance plan to pay for the work

get your own installers to fit the improvements and pay for them yourself

pay for the work in more than one way, like using a Green Deal finance plan or money of your own

Some companies provide all the services for a Green Deal package - assessment, finance and installation. You can choose to use a different company for each service.

Get a quote

Give a provider or installer your Green Deal advice report.

Providers will give you a quote and arrange the installers for you. Installers will quote to do the work themselves. A quote from a provider will include the repayment terms if you’re paying with a finance plan.

You can get more than one quote and you can choose which improvements you want.

You can ask the provider or installer if you or your property qualify to combine the Green Deal (Green Deal) with these other schemes:

Affordable Warmth Obligation - help from your energy company to improve your home if you’re on certain benefits or a low income, or for certain hard-to-treat properties

Feed-in Tariffs - payments from your energy provider if you generate your own electricity (such as through solar panels or a wind turbine)

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - payments for generation and use of renewable energy to heat buildings

any scheme run by your Local Authority - contact your Local Authority for information

Agree the work

Pick the provider or installer you want to do the work.

The provider will write you a contract called a Green Deal finance plan if you choose to pay with Green Deal finance. The plan will contain:

an outline of the work that will be done

any financial help you can get from other schemes

the repayments and interest rate

information on other incentives you can access, such as Feed-in Tarrifs

information on warranties and guarantees

Your Green Deal repayments will be automatically added to your electricity bill if you have chosen to take Green Deal finance.

Complaints

You can complain about your Green Deal (Green Deal).

How to pay

You can pay in advance, get a Green Deal finance plan, or use other schemes to fund the work. You can also combine ways to pay.

Getting a Green Deal finance plan

Finance plans are offered by approved Green Deal providers.

Give your Green Deal assessment to providers you want to get a quote from.

Your provider will find an installer for you.

You can only get a finance plan for improvements recommended in your Green Deal assessment.

Each provider must tell you:

how much you’ll pay back

how long you’ll pay for

What you can borrow and how much you’ll pay

You can get finance for an amount based on what you’ll be expected to save on your energy bills.

The annual repayments on the loan should not be more than the savings you might make on your energy bills.

There’s no set interest rate. Your interest rate will be determined by the amount of your finance plan. Check with your provider for rates and fees.

The interest rate (Your interest rate) is fixed for the full term of the plan (your finance plan) so your repayments will be fixed.

How you pay

You pay back the loan through a charge added to your electricity bill. If you have a prepayment meter, a small amount will be taken from the meter each day.

This (taken) is because the Green Deal (Green Deal) stays with the property. If you move, you no longer benefit from the improvements and therefore stop paying for them.

You can pay off your Green Deal (Green Deal) early, but you might be charged a fee - check with your provider.

Moving into a property with a Green Deal

If you move into a property with a Green Deal, the landlord or seller must show you a copy of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This will explain what improvements have been made and how much you’ll need to repay.

The person who pays the electricity bill pays the money back.

You can change electricity supplier if the new supplier is participating in the Green Deal (Green Deal).

Get more information

Contact the Green Deal provider if you have specific questions about the improvements, warranties or repayments.

You can get general information from Simple Energy Advice if you’re in England or Wales, or Home Energy Scotland if you’re in Scotland.

Find out about call charges


Get a fishing vessel licence: vessels 10 metres or under

Overview

You need a Category A (10 metres or under) fishing vessel licence if you want to catch and sell sea fish, unless you’re exempt.

Check the licence you need if your vessel is longer than 10 metres.

Follow these steps to get a Category A (10 metres or under) fishing vessel licence:

Register your vessel - you must do this before you can get a licence.

Get a licence entitlement - you’ll need this to get a licence.

Apply for your licence.

You must carry your licence on board your vessel at all times.

Exemptions

You don’t need a licence for your vessel if any of the following apply:

it (your vessel) doesn’t have an engine

it (your vessel)’ll only be used to fish for common eels, salmon or migratory trout

you fish only within 12 nautical miles of Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, but you’ll need a licence from the relevant authority

you only use your vessel to fish for pleasure

Register your vessel

You must register your vessel on the UK Ship Registry to get a fishing vessel licence, unless your vessel is registered in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

To get on the register (the UK Ship Registry):

arrange an inspection by a Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspector or surveyor

fill in application form MSF4740 and send it to the address on the form

You can choose simple or full registration. Full registration lets you take out a marine mortgage against your vessel.

Registration fees

Simple registration (simple or full registration) is £111 and full registration is £131.

Documents you need

You must include the following documents:

Declaration of Eligibility (MSF 4728)

original ownership documents - bill of sale, invoice or builder’s certificate

Seafish Construction Certificate if your vessel was built after July 2007, or Seafish Inspection Report if your vessel was built before 2007

Safety Certificate issued by MCA (MSF 1606)

the vessel’s (your vessel) radio call sign, if you have one

deletion certificate if the vessel (your vessel) was previously registered on another register

a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the owner is a limited company

Your evidence of ownership must cover the last 3 years if you’re applying for full registration.

Get a licence entitlement

You can get an entitlement by:

buying the entitlement (an entitlement) from a vessel that has sunk, been scrapped or is no longer being used for fishing

buying a vessel with a licence

You need to make sure the entitlement (an entitlement) is suitable for:

a vessel which is 10 metres or under (Category A)

the tonnage of your vessel and the size of the engine (kilowattage)

You can combine 2 or more entitlements if 1 is not enough to cover your vessel. You can also split an entitlement if you don’t need it all.

Register an entitlement bought without a vessel

Get form AFL7 from your local MMO office.

Read the instructions for filling in form AFL7.

Fill in sections A and B of the form (form AFL7) and send it (form AFL7) to your local MMO office.

MMO will check the previous owner has agreed to the transfer and return the form (form AFL7) to you.

Entitlements bought with a vessel

The seller will transfer the entitlement (a vessel) into your name as part of the sale. MMO will send you form AFL7.

Use form AFL7 to convert your entitlement into a licence.

Apply for your licence

Fill in application form AFL2 to apply for a Category A (10 metres or under) licence and send it to your local MMO office with your:

certificate of registry for the vessel

form AFL7 showing you as the entitlement holder (form AFL7)

Send the original documents, not copies.

A licence is valid for 2 years, starting on 1 July and ending 2 years later on 30 June.

Your licence will be renewed automatically.