Cookie Banner and Privacy Policy for a UK Website: What You Actually Need (2026)

If your website uses analytics, a contact form, embedded videos or marketing pixels, UK law expects you to be open about it. This is general information, not legal advice, but it covers what most small business sites need.

Do you need a cookie banner?

Strictly necessary cookies, such as ones that keep a basket or login working, do not need consent. Analytics, advertising and most social media embeds do. If you only use necessary cookies, you may not need a consent banner at all, though you should still say what you use.

What a compliant banner does

• Explains what each type of cookie is for, in plain English
• Does not load analytics or marketing cookies until the visitor says yes
• Makes ‘reject’ as easy as ‘accept’
• Lets people change their mind later
• Keeps a record of consent

What goes in a privacy policy

• Who you are and how to contact you
• What personal data you collect (forms, bookings, emails) and why
• The legal basis for using it
• Who you share it with, such as your email or payment provider
• How long you keep it and how people can ask to see or delete it
• Your ICO registration details if you are required to have them

Generators versus a solicitor

For a straightforward small business site, a policy generator that keeps itself up to date is a sensible, low-cost route. Tools like iubenda generate a privacy and cookie policy from the services you actually use, add a consent banner and record consent, and update the text when the rules change. If you handle sensitive data, such as health information, or operate in several countries, get proper legal advice instead.

Don’t forget the basics

• Check what your site really loads; free scanners will list the cookies
• Link the privacy policy from every form and from the footer
• Update the policy when you add a new tool
• Pay the ICO data protection fee if it applies to you

A slow consent banner can also hurt performance, so choose a light one. See our SEO work for how we keep sites fast.

Want this sorted for you? Get in touch and we will tell you plainly what your site needs.