Protecting your intellectual property

Protecting your intellectual property makes it easier to take legal action against anyone who steals or copies it. 

Types of protection 

The type of protection you can get depends on what you’ve created. You get some types of protection automatically, others you have to apply for. 

Automatic protection 

Copyright - Writing and literary works, art, photography, films, TV, music, web content, sound recordings 

Design right - Shapes of objects 

Protection you have to apply for 

Trademarks - Product names, logos, jingles 

Registered designs - Appearance of a product including, shape, packaging, patterns, colours, decoration

Patents - Inventions and products, eg machines and machine parts, tools, medicines 

Time to allow for application

Trademarks -  4 months 

Registered designs - 1 month

Patents - Around 5 years

Keep these types of intellectual property secret until they’re registered. If you need to discuss your idea with someone, use a non-disclosure agreement. 

Source: GOV.UK

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/