ABOVEBOARD · UK ADVERTISING
Straight answers about UK advertising rules, what your review covers and what happens after you book.
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The rules depend on what you advertise, where it appears and who sees it.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) administers the UK advertising codes. The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) writes the non-broadcast code, covering marketing such as paid social, search ads and advertising on websites. Broadcast advertising has a separate BCAP Code. Sector regulators also have responsibilities: for example, the FCA for financial promotions and the GDC for dental professionals. Read the UK advertising codes.
An advert can mislead through what it says, what it leaves out or how information is presented. Objective claims need evidence, important qualifications must be clear, and prices must not hide compulsory charges. The overall impression matters, not just whether an individual sentence is technically accurate. CAP Code section 3 sets out the rules.
Yes, advertising rules can apply to paid social posts, search ads and promotional content on your own website or social channels. Not every post is an advert; the content and context matter. Financial promotions can also be subject to FCA rules regardless of the medium. See the CAP Code scope and FCA social media guidance.
Before publishing, hold documentary evidence for claims that people are likely to understand as objective and that can be substantiated. The evidence needs to support the actual claim you make. A testimonial or a single successful case is not a substitute for appropriate evidence of a treatment or product's effectiveness. ASA advice on substantiation.
02
A useful answer starts with the exact advert, rather than a blanket yes or no.
Absolute claims such as “pain-free” and “completely safe” need evidence that supports the full impression they give. An experience that varies between patients should not be presented as universal. Aboveboard checks the wording and flags unsupported claims for a more qualified rewrite. Read our dental advertising guide and ASA dental guidance.
They are not automatically acceptable or unacceptable. Photos and testimonials must be genuine, must not mislead or exaggerate what people can expect, and must meet the applicable permissions and sector requirements. Claims within a testimonial still need appropriate support. Read ASA guidance on testimonials and the GDC advertising guidance for dental professionals.
Prescription-only medicines must not be advertised to the public. Naming a medicine, showing it or promoting treatment prices can raise concerns; avoiding a brand name does not by itself make a promotion acceptable. The context of the whole advert matters. See CAP Code section 12 and our aesthetics advertising guide.
The review considers the medicine or service promoted, health and weight-loss claims, supporting evidence and the presentation of results. Prescription-only medicine restrictions and medicines guidance may apply alongside the CAP Code. Our healthcare and pharmacy guide links to the relevant official sources.
Required wording depends on the credit arrangement, the promotion and your permissions. A headline monthly price or “0% finance” claim needs a specific review, not a generic “terms apply” addition. Where applicable, we flag broker wording and representative-example requirements. We do not invent lender terms or finance figures. See our finance and credit guide and FCA financial promotions guidance.
Yes. Aboveboard reviews UK gambling adverts against relevant ASA/CAP rules and Gambling Commission requirements, including presentation, audience protection and promotional terms. A commercial review is not a substitute for the operator's own compliance responsibilities. Read our gambling advertising guide.
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A fixed-scope review, grounded in the wording your customers actually see.
An ad compliance review checks your adverts and relevant website pages against the advertising rules that apply to your business. Aboveboard records the wording that prompted a finding, explains the relevant rule and suggests corrected wording. It also flags clarity and customer-journey concerns where there is evidence to support them.
The full scan covers up to 30 live ads from the Meta Ad Library and Google Ads Transparency Center, their landing pages, and your homepage and key website pages, up to eight site pages. Public libraries may not contain every advert. Your report states what was captured and read; material that could not be read is not treated as having passed.
Aboveboard reviews UK advertising for dental practices, aesthetics and cosmetic clinics, healthcare and pharmacy services, financial services and credit, and gambling. Other UK businesses with ASA advertising concerns can book too. Meet your reviewer or email hello@above-board.co.uk if you are unsure about your sector.
No account is needed before booking. After payment you receive a link to your intake. You can provide ad links, page URLs and wording, or request public ad-library checks and supply your website or Facebook page. You do not need to upload every advert when requesting those library checks.
Your report is due within five working days of your complete intake being accepted, not from the moment you pay. Your account shows the due date. If evidence cannot be collected or read, it is flagged rather than silently treated as checked.
You receive a written report and PDF with evidenced findings, rule references, priorities and suggested corrected wording. Evidence gathering and first drafts are AI-assisted. Dan Whitehouse checks every finding, quote and rewrite before approving and releasing the report. Any facts needed to publish a rewrite are identified for your confirmation. Read the clearly fictional sample report.
No. Aboveboard provides an assistive commercial review, not legal advice, a regulatory opinion or formal ASA/CAP clearance. A report does not amount to regulator approval. Where a question needs a legal or regulatory decision, consult an appropriately qualified adviser or the relevant regulator.
The aim is clearer, better-supported wording. A wording review cannot predict your bookings or conversion rate. Proposed improvements need testing against your own results; the report does not promise a particular commercial outcome.
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Clear costs, ongoing choices and control over your information.
The one-off full scan costs £500. Every ongoing-check plan also starts with the £500 full scan. After that, checks cost £295 every eight weeks, £245 every four weeks, or £95 a week billed as £380 every four weeks. Aboveboard is not VAT registered: these are final prices, with no VAT added. Compare prices and check schedules.
After the initial full scan, ongoing checks review new or changed adverts and pages rather than repeating the same full scan each time. Choose an eight-week, four-week or weekly schedule. Weekly checks cover up to five new or changed assets each week. Your account shows your next payment and plan details.
No contract. Cancel any time. Cancellation is available from your purchaser account and takes effect at the end of the paid period. To change plan, email hello@above-board.co.uk and we'll switch it at your next billing date.
“If we don't find at least one thing worth fixing, you get your money back.” Read the terms for the service conditions, or email hello@above-board.co.uk with a refund question.
Your report and uploaded files are held in private, access-controlled storage, not published as a public case study. Files are kept until you ask for deletion, and you can request deletion of files and personal data by email. Information is processed by the services needed to run the site and deliver the review. Read our privacy notice for details.
Start with the £500 full scan, or ask a question before booking.