Seeking intellectual property advice
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-26)

Finding the right advice and advisor is the first step in making the best decisions for your invention or business.

Get free advice from information centres near you

You can access guidance and support through a network of 25 PatLib Centres (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/patent-information-centres) (Patent Libraries) covering all regions of the UK. The services usually available include:
- free 1 hour business and IP 1:1 (appointment only)
- workshops and seminars
- referrals to local IP attorneys
The British Library Business & IP Centre (https://www.bl.uk/hubs/business) across the UK supports entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses. They provide help from initial inspiration to successfully launching and growing a business.

Book a training course

Learn from the Intellectual Property Office experts who register and grant trade marks, designs and patents.

There are a variety of Intellectual Property Training (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/intellectual-property-training) courses available. These are suitable for business owners, inventors or anyone with an interest in IP.

Attend an event to speak to our team

Our team of advisors travel across the UK and provide guidance at events which have an intellectual property or business focus.

You may need to register for the event (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-events) to attend, but our team provide free seminars, workshops and 1:1 guidance on how intellectual property can help businesses.

Business advisors and advisory resources

A list of organisations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ip-for-business-advisers-and-support/business-advisers-and-advisory-resources) who offer business and IP advice to innovators and businesses.

This is not an exhaustive list but is a good starting point for businesses looking for intellectual property and general business advice.

Customer Support Centre

Our Customer Support Centre is open Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm. Our team of advisors will be able to provide support and answer any questions you have.

You can contact us on xx-xxxx-xxxx or by email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Interactive resources

Watch videos on YouTube to learn about:
- is intellectual property important to my business? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzKjahXHm80)
- should I get a trade mark? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CM9-4Qrj3I)
- should I get a patent? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCMwbNuWqA)
- should I have a registered design? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orFnFEzV5ic)
- is copyright important to my business? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXfdhKqK258)
You can also access free and easy to use IPO online support tools (https://www.ipo.gov.uk/ip-support/welcome) that can help you identify your IP assets and provide you with the next steps on how to protect them.

Get legal advice

We strongly recommend you seek legal advice. You should read our Get legal advice from an intellectual property professional (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-legal-advice-from-an-intellectual-property-professional) before applying for intellectual property.