The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) is inviting stakeholders – including designers, legal practitioners, businesses, and industry bodies – to help set priorities for future design protection in the UK. Its  initial survey to  gather input to shape forthcoming reforms closes on 1 April 2025

Why it matters
The UK’s design sector is a major contributor to the economy, adding £97.4 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019 – 4.9% of the national total. In 2021, the sector included over 80,000 businesses, 92% of which were microbusinesses employing fewer than nine people. A strong, accessible design protection system is crucial to supporting this economic impact.

A moment of opportunity
Post-Brexit, there is no longer such a need for harmonisation with the EUIPO. This gives policymakers more freedom to craft solutions tailored specifically to UK needs. The current survey builds on earlier evaluations, including a comprehensive 2022 survey, and reflects growing calls to modernise and simplify the system.

Focus areas for reform
The IPO is seeking detailed input on five key priorities:

• Cost – Making the system affordable and accessible to businesses of all sizes, including microbusinesses.
• Validity – Enhancing legal clarity and confidence in the existence and scope of protected designs.
• Speed – Enabling faster registration and enforcement of design rights.
• Choice – Expanding the options available to designers to secure and manage their rights.
• Simplicity – Creating a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate protection system.

What’s next
Feedback from this pre-consultation will directly inform a formal consultation later this year, where detailed reform proposals will be published. The IPO also plans to hold stakeholder meetings to explore views in more depth.

How to get involved
Stakeholders who would like to help influence UK design policy are encouraged to complete the survey by 1 April 2025.

The survey is available here.