This page explains the sources and standards that underpin every article on Headlines UK. Whether you are a regular reader or a first-time visitor, you can use this page to understand where our information comes from, how we check it, and what you can do if you believe something is wrong. Our commitment is to be open about our methods so that you can judge the reliability of our reporting for yourself. For more about our team and our editorial mission, see About Us and Our Team.
What official and primary sources do we use?
We rely on a core set of authoritative, verifiable sources for news, data and official records. These are used by our journalists as the foundation for stories across politics, business, technology and public affairs.
- BBC News – UK and global news coverage used for corroboration and context.
- Office for National Statistics – Official UK economic, population and social statistics.
- UK Parliament – Hansard, bills, committee reports and parliamentary proceedings.
- Bank of England – Monetary policy, financial stability reports and economic data.
- GOV.UK – Government announcements, policy papers, legislation and departmental publications.
- Reuters – International wire service used for breaking news and business reporting.
- PA Media – The UK’s national news agency, providing factual copy and parliamentary pool coverage.
Which regulatory and standards bodies do we follow?
We hold ourselves accountable to independent bodies that set best practice for journalism, data protection and advertising. Membership and compliance are not optional – they shape our daily processes.
- IPSO – The Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates most UK print and digital news publishers. We follow the Editors’ Code of Practice it enforces.
- ICO – The Information Commissioner’s Office, which oversees data protection and privacy law. Our handling of reader data complies with its guidance.
- Advertising Standards Authority – The ASA regulates advertising across UK media. All commercial content on our site, including sponsored material and affiliate links, must meet its codes.
- IMPRESS – An independent press regulator recognised by the Press Recognition Panel. We align with its standards for accuracy, transparency and accountability.
What we rely on day to day
Our journalists and editors use a mix of primary sources, direct interviews, official databases and trusted secondary reporting. Every story is assigned to a named writer, reviewed by an editor and checked by Oliver Reeves, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, before publication. We do not publish anonymous sources unless a clear public interest justification exists and the information cannot be obtained elsewhere. When we use data from government or independent bodies, we link directly to the underlying dataset or summary page. For breaking stories, we prioritise statements from official spokespeople, press conferences and verified social media accounts belonging to public officials. Internal AI tools may assist with research or drafting, but never replace human editorial review – see our AI & Automation Policy for full details. All sponsored or affiliate content is clearly labelled in line with our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
How this works in practice
To show you how these standards apply, consider a recent article we published about changes to the Bank of England base rate. Our Business & Economy Correspondent, Amelia Grant, started by reading the Bank’s official Monetary Policy Committee statement and minutes (primary source). She checked the accompanying data release from the Office for National Statistics on inflation and employment. She then spoke to two independent economists by phone, recorded the interviews and noted their affiliations. A draft was submitted to Managing Editor Rebecca Haines, who reviewed it for clarity and tone, and then to Oliver Reeves, who verified all numeric claims against the original Bank and ONS documents. The final article included hyperlinks to the Bank statement and the ONS data, plus a note that expert comments were provided for background. This process – source verification, human review, and full transparency – is repeated across every story we publish.
Headlines UK is owned and operated by Sliema Media Limited, a company registered in Malta (registration number C 84217). Our editorial independence is guaranteed by a charter that prevents commercial interests from dictating news decisions. For more about our funding and ownership, see Ownership & Funding.
How to challenge our reporting
If you believe an article contains an error, is misleading or breaches our standards, you have a clear route to raise it. Start by emailing corrections@headlinesuk.uk or using our formal complaints procedure. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Oliver Reeves, will investigate and respond within five working days. If a correction is required, we will update the article and publish a note explaining the change in line with our Corrections Policy. Readers who are not satisfied with the outcome can escalate to IPSO or IMPRESS, depending on the nature of the complaint. We take all feedback seriously and treat every challenge as an opportunity to improve our accuracy.
In short
Every article you read on Headlines UK is built on verifiable sources, checked by a dedicated fact-checker and reviewed by a human editor before publication. We are transparent about who owns us, how we are funded and how to hold us to account. For further details, explore our Editorial Policy or contact our Editor-in-Chief, David Harwood, at david.harwood@headlinesuk.uk.