Disclaimer
Please read this disclaimer carefully before relying on anything published on this website. By using cooperatives.org.uk you accept the terms set out below.
1. Not legal, financial, tax or professional advice
cooperatives.org.uk is an independent information resource. Everything we publish — including our guides, the compare structures tool and any examples, figures, fees, templates or model rules — is general information only. It is not legal, financial, tax, accounting or other professional advice, and it does not take account of your particular circumstances.
Law, regulation, registration fees and the practices of bodies such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Companies House change over time, and content may become out of date. Before you form a co‑operative, choose a legal structure, raise money, or make any financial or contractual decision, you should obtain advice from a suitably qualified professional (such as a solicitor, accountant or specialist co‑operative adviser) and check the relevant official sources. You can find independent advisers in our adviser directory.
Always verify with the source. Treat our pages as a starting point for research, not a substitute for the official guidance published by the FCA, Companies House, GOV.UK, HMRC or a regulated professional.
2. Independence and affiliation
cooperatives.org.uk is a privately operated, independent website. We are not affiliated with, authorised by, endorsed by, or connected to:
- Co‑operatives UK (the membership body for co‑operatives, at uk.coop);
- the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which maintains the register of societies;
- Companies House, which registers companies;
- HM Revenue & Customs, GOV.UK, or any other government department, regulator or public body.
Where we mention these organisations, the names are used purely descriptively and for reference, to help you understand the UK co‑operative landscape and find the correct official body. Any trade marks, names or logos referred to remain the property of their respective owners. If you are looking for the official membership organisation, please visit Co‑operatives UK directly.
3. Affiliate and advertising disclosure
This website is funded in part through commercial arrangements. We may earn a commission when you click certain links and go on to buy a product or service, and we feature paid directory listings and display advertising. Sponsored or featured listings are intended to be identifiable as such.
These arrangements never change the price you pay — using our links costs you no more than going direct, and sometimes less. We aim to keep our editorial content independent of commercial relationships, and a payment to us does not amount to a recommendation or guarantee of any provider's suitability for you. Always carry out your own due diligence before engaging any adviser, lender or service.
4. Accuracy and external links
We take reasonable care to keep our content accurate and up to date, but we make no warranty or guarantee — express or implied — as to its completeness, accuracy, reliability or fitness for any purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information on this site.
Our pages link to third‑party websites for your convenience. Those sites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for their content, accuracy, availability or privacy practices. A link does not imply endorsement.
5. Funding, investment and capital at risk
Some of our content discusses ways to finance a co‑operative, including community shares, loans and grants — see funding a co‑operative. This is general information and is not a financial promotion, investment advice or a recommendation to invest in any society or scheme.
Your capital is at risk. Investments such as community shares are typically not transferable, may be difficult or impossible to sell, and are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Read every offer document in full and seek independent advice before investing.
6. Changes to this disclaimer
We may update this disclaimer from time to time. The "last reviewed" date above shows when it was most recently changed. For more about who runs this site, see our About page; for how we handle data, see our privacy notice.
Questions about this disclaimer? Get in touch via our About page.