Knowledge Hub · Updated 13 October 2026
Trademark Knowledge Hub
Free, plain-English help with UK trademarks, from the team that has been registering and protecting brands for UK businesses since 2008.
Everything we publish is here in one place: step-by-step guides, answers to the questions business owners ask us most, trademark news, real client stories, scam warnings and short videos. Search for your question, filter by topic, or start with what other readers are looking at this week. If you can’t find what you need, ask us and a specialist will reply within one working day.
Free Trademark Search
Run a free trademark name search to check if your brand is available. Instant trademark name lookup across the UK IPO register. Find conflicts before you apply.
Goods and Services Classes
Your trademark only protects the goods and services you claimed. Four free tools to find your classes and the exact wording the UK IPO has already accepted.
Trademark Clearance Audit Services
Safeguard your brand with trademark clearance audit services starting at £49+VAT. Analyse trademarks, social media, domains, and business registers.
Trademark Class Builder
Trademark Consultation and Audit
Book a trademark consultation to review your brand protection. Our trademark clearance audit covers the UK IPO register, Companies House, domains, and social media in one report.
Class Selection
FAQ24 Jul 2026How Do I Check If a Name Is Trademarked?
How to check if a name is trademarked: search the UK register and each country you trade in, look for similar names, check your logo and unregistered use.
Article3 Jul 2026Does Your Trademark Cover AI Now Your Business Uses It?
Does your trademark cover AI now your business uses it? Using AI vs selling AI, which classes cover AI software and services, and a simple check to run.
News11 Jun 2025Trademarking Shapes? – Toblerone’s Triangular Triumph: How a Chocolate Shape Made Trademark History
Let’s be honest, when you think of Toblerone, you aren’t thinking about nougat, you probably are thinking about chocolate BUT you are definitely thinking…
What is acquired distinctiveness?
Acquired distinctiveness arises where a mark that may originally have been descriptive becomes registrable because, through long and consistent use, consumers associ…
Can a descriptive brand become registrable over time?
In some circumstances, yes. If a brand has been used extensively and has built recognition in the marketplace, it may acquire distinctiveness. This is not automatic…
What is a trademark clearance audit?
A trademark clearance audit is a structured review carried out before filing. It goes beyond a basic register search and can include checks of overseas trademarks, domain name…
What does a trademark clearance audit include?
An audit typically reviews UK and relevant overseas registers, assesses class overlap, considers potential marketplace and domain conflicts and evaluates commercial…
Why should I carry out an audit before filing?
An audit reduces the likelihood of avoidable objections or opposition. It allows you to assess risk before investing in official fees and branding. Many examination…
Do I need a consultation before applying?
You are not required to have a consultation before filing. However, many clients find that a short discussion over the phone or on teams, provides clarity and preven…
Do you offer a free trademark consultation?
Yes. We offer a free initial consultation to understand your circumstances and outline appropriate next steps. The purpose is to provide clarity on the trademark pro…
What does a trademark clearance audit check beyond the trademark register?
A clearance audit goes further than a basic search. Alongside worldwide trademark registers, we check social media platforms for use of your name or logo, domain nam…
How much does a trademark clearance audit cost?
Our clearance audits start from £99. If you go ahead with the trademark registration through us, the full cost of the audit is deducted from your application fees. T…
What happens if the audit suggests not filing the trademark?
If you decide not to proceed after reviewing the results, we offer a second full brand audit on a different brand, free of charge. That gives you the chance to test…
FAQ10 Oct 2026What are trademark classes, and which one(s) do I actually need?
Trademark classes are the 45 categories your trademark covers. Why the terms you claim matter, and how to choose classes that fit the business you are building.
Why should I run a trademark search first?
Honestly, it's the cheapest way to avoid a very expensive mistake. If you spot an existing or similar name before you invest, you can change direction early, rather…
What does a free trademark search actually tell me?
It's an initial screening of the UK Intellectual Property Office register. It brings up the most obvious identical or similar names, so you get a quick, early sense…
What are trademark classes?
Classes set out the goods and services your mark covers. There are 45 in the UK, each with plenty of terms. Two identical names can often sit happily in different cl…
If my trademark search is clear, am I okay to apply for a trademark?
If you're on a budget, it's certainly better than doing nothing. But it's only the first step, not a full trademark clearance audit. We always recommend comprehensive Audit an…
Is a free search the same as a full trademark clearance audit?
Not quite. The free search picks up obvious issues on the UK register. A brand audit goes much wider, covering international registers, Companies House, domains and…
What happens if you spot a potential conflict?
Try not to worry. A similar name isn't automatically a problem. We'll help you work out whether it's a genuine conflict, and where it's appropriate, we can look at a…
FAQ25 Sep 2026Can I use a business name that isn’t trademarked, or one that’s already taken?
The question is not simply whether you can use the name, it is whether you should. Companies House will not normally incorporate a company using the same name as one…
Article30 Jul 2026Can You Update a Trademark When Your Business Changes?
Can you update a trademark? You cannot add goods or services to a UK registration. When a business change needs a new filing, and why an annual review helps.
Article23 Jul 2026Should You Check a Name Can Be Trademarked Before You Rebrand?
Why a trademark check before a rebrand saves money: how to test whether a new name or logo can be registered, and what to do before the designer starts.
Article16 Jul 2026How Should You Word a Trademark Specification?
How to word a trademark specification: clear goods and services terms, the IPO's approved wording, overbroad claims after SkyKick, and the steps to file.
News15 Jul 2026Trademark Decisions Are Business Risk Decisions: Lessons from 4,176 UK Registrations
After 4,176 UK registrations, one lesson stands out: the best trademark strategy starts with the cost of failure, not the cost of filing. Here is why.
News14 Jul 2026First to File vs First to Use: The Question Every Brand Owner Should Ask After Anthropic v Abnormal AI
Anthropic filed eight months after Abnormal AI and is now fighting for its name in court. Why first to file beats first to use, and how to protect your brand.
Article1 Jul 2026Do DIY Trademark Applications Fail More Often?
Do DIY trademark applications fail more often? What the IPO's own figures show, where self-filed marks come unstuck, and when doing it yourself can work.
News23 Jun 2026AI and Trademarks: A Brilliant Assistant, but a Poor Researcher
One of my team recently flagged something to a local business, a genuinely successful brand, that they were trading with no trademark at all.…
Article15 Jun 2026The Most Expensive Trademark Application Is the One That Fails
People ask me all the time what it costs to register a trademark in the UK. It is a fair question, and I understand…
Article9 Jun 2026What Happens If You Register Your Trademark in the Wrong Class?
Registered your trademark in the wrong class? What it leaves unprotected, why you can't add classes later, and how to check and fix the gaps in the UK.
News11 Jun 2025Cadbury’s Purple Battle: When Colour Alone Is Not Enough
Explore Cadbury’s legal battle to trademark the colour purple. Learn why colour alone isn't always enough for trademark protection in the UK.
News19 Dec 2024How The Trademark Helpline is Adapting to the Latest Trademark High Court Ruling
Since 2008, The Trademark Helpline has been committed to ensuring our clients get their trademark applications right the first time. Our Trademark Clearance Audit Service…
Article8 Jul 2024TikTok Applies for ‘Genie’ Trademark in US for AI Chatbot 🤖
Discover how TikTok's new AI chatbot, Genie, can drive engagement and sales for UK businesses. Learn to leverage AI and stay ahead in the market.
Brad Mitri, Director, Dracorp
Mark Egan, Director, Riva Beauty Services
Andy Murray, Lifestyle Fitness
Ian Riley, Shower King
John Hicks, Rural Property Watch
Michael Haslam, Fly Repel
Janet Down, Solo
John Roberts, The City Pub Company
Julian Birley, Alice the Little Welsh Engine (1)
Richard Burch, Kinkold Clothing
Nathan Whyte, Scotland’s Larder
Okan Ozevlat, My Home Textile
Sonia Farr, European Trademark Owner
Yevegeniya Plotnikova, Active+
Matthew Adderley, Over Ice Clothing
Qudeer Ahmad, Muscle Bound
Kerry Gover, Managing Director, PinkBox Boutique
Duarte Goncalves, DXG Media Ltd
Alastair Brown, Development Director, Organico Realfoods
Tony Irish, Director, Oven Bright
News9 Jul 2021Archewell hits bump over trademark terms
The latest about the Sussex's Archewell trademark application.
News2 Jun 2021A Tesla burger whilst you wait for your car to charge?
Tesla has just applied for three trademarks with the US Patent Office, under the categories for Restaurant services, pop-up restaurant services, self-service restaur…
News26 May 2021Samsung excites tech world with latest trademark filings.
South Korean electronics company Samsung have excited the tech world this week after two trademark filings were spotted for ‘Z Roll’ and ‘Z Slide’.
FAQ10 Oct 2026Is my business name too similar to one that already exists, could I be infringing?
Could your business name infringe an existing brand? How similarity is judged, why a clear Companies House check is not enough, and how to check first.
Article27 Jan 2026UK Trademark vs EU and International Trademarks: Understanding the Differences and Avoiding Costly Mistakes
Understand the differences between UK, EU and international trademarks, and learn how to avoid costly filing mistakes that leave your brand unprotected.
News22 Oct 2024Erling Haaland’s Trademark Journey
Goals and Red Cards Erling Haaland is a name inextricably linked with success and, occasionally, controversy. As one of the world's most prolific goal…
FAQ25 Sep 2026Can I just copyright my business name instead?
Copyright does not normally protect a business name in the UK. See what copyright covers, what a trademark protects and which protection fits your brand.
FAQ25 Sep 2026What would it cost me to rebrand if I am forced to change my name?
There is no standard cost for a forced rebrand. See what a name change really touches, from stock to search visibility, and how TMH reduces the risk.
News17 Sep 2026Can You Sue Someone for Copying Your Brand? What Louboutin v YSL Actually Decided
If someone copies your brand, can you actually sue? What Louboutin’s red sole case decided, what a registration really gives you, and when it won’t be enough.
FAQ15 Sep 2026Can You See What Trademarks Your Competitors Are Filing?
Yes. How a competitor trademark search works on the UK register, what new filings reveal and hide, and how monitoring keeps watch for you from £14 a month.
News20 Aug 2026Supermac’s Beat McDonald’s at the UK Registry. Here’s What That Says About Names That Look Too Similar
Is my business name too similar to one that already exists? A UK registry decision shows a shared word is not enough on its own. What actually decides it.
Article11 Aug 2026Do You Need a Trademark Before You Franchise Your Business?
Do you need a trademark before you franchise? Why the franchisor needs to own the brand, how franchisee licences work, and five checks to run before you sell.
Article5 Aug 2026What Happens After Your Trademark Is Registered?
What happens after trademark registration? Renewal every ten years, the five-year use rule, monitoring, the ® symbol, record changes and fake renewal letters.
Browse by topic
Trademark advice by topic
Check and plan
Search the register, choose the right classes and check a name before you file.
See all guides →Manage and protect
Monitoring, renewals and representation once your trademark is registered.
See all guides →Trademark disputes
Oppositions, cancellations, cease and desist letters and online takedowns.
See all guides →The people behind the answers
Our authors
Jonathan PatonFounder & CEOBrand protection strategy for UK businesses since 2008.
Matthew GriffithsCommercial DirectorClient work and our UK and international partnerships.
Alex PughBrand Protection ConsultantNew clients, international applications and hearings.
Laura SpencerParalegalDrafting, filing and progressing applications.
Saad AshrafMarketing ManagerMarketing and the trademark data behind our guides.
