United Kingdom Copyright

Know your own country's copyright legislation

Through my research I have found that many countries have organizations that helpfully explain the legislation in plain English, along with answers to frequently asked questions, so be sure to research these thoroughly. Although these organisations can help, it would be useful to know the basics of the legislation covering copyright in your country first so you have an idea of what you need to start with.  

The following provides a general round-up to help you get started if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom:

British copyright law can be found in The Copyright Act 1956, The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003, and relevant case law interpretations. The Intellectual Property Office (UK) can be found at: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/. You can also find information at: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/

Remember this is YOUR work and you do not want anyone else taking the credit for it so the first thing you should do when you finish a piece of work is copyright it straight away to avoid any problems in the future, when your work is published.