The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is a government agency that grants and administers key IP rights in Britain, such as patents, trade marks and registered designs, as well as advising on copyright policy. It sits within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and also supports education and enforcement to help businesses protect and commercialise their ideas.
For entrepreneurs, the IPO is the frontline service for protecting their brand or invention in the UK. It runs the online application systems, such as a “Right Start” route to check trade mark applications before paying full fees, and maintains public registers.
Since 1 January 2021, EU trade marks no longer cover the UK. The IPO has therefore created “comparable UK trade marks” for existing right-holders, so founders now need separate UK protection if they want UK coverage.
The IPO is currently going through a major digital upgrade (One IPO). In January 2025 it launched One IPO Search, a new keyword patent search tool replacing IPSUM, with further unified services to let users manage patents, trade marks and designs in one place.
The IPO also gives SMEs practical support. This includes “IP Advance”, a refreshed grant scheme piloted from July 2024 that helps SMEs fund IP audits and strategy work.
Further reading:
GOV.UK – EU trade mark protection and comparable UK trade marks (post-Brexit rules)
GOV.UK – New patent search tool to boost UK innovation (One IPO Search)
GOV.UK – Trade mark applications
Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys – UK IPO launches refreshed SME financial support scheme
This entry was written by Anastasia Bektimirova. Anastasia is the Head of Science and Technology at The Entrepreneurs Network. Subscribe to Perennial Gale, their weekly newsletter on all things policy and entrepreneurship. Follow Anastasia on X at @anastasiabekt.