UK Journalism Resources Library
Curated resources for working UK journalists — from legal guides and FOI templates to training opportunities, hostile-environment support, mental health resources and rate benchmarks.
Last reviewed: Next review due:
Quick links by need
Eight clusters of the most-asked-for resources — press regulators, unions, training, safety, wellbeing, legal defence, press cards and official statistics. Use the search below for the full 147+ resource library.
Press regulators & complaints
Where to check rulings, file complaints and verify membership.
Unions & professional bodies
Join up, get legal cover and reference rate cards.
Training & qualifications
NCTJ, BJTC and recognised UK training routes.
Safety & hostile environment
Risk assessment, kit, HEFAT providers and crisis support.
Mental health & wellbeing
UK-specific support for journalists working with trauma.
Legal aid & defence
When you receive a solicitor's letter or face injunction.
Press cards
UK-recognised press cards and how to apply.
Official statistics & data
UK statistical bodies that publish open data.
146 resources
IPSO — Independent Press Standards Organisation
UK press regulator for most national and regional newspapers. Handles complaints, publishes rulings, and maintains the Editors' Code of Practice.
Best for checking Editors' Code and complaint rulings
IMPRESS — Independent Monitor for the Press
IMPRESS is the only Royal Charter-recognised press regulator in the UK. Regulates independent and hyperlocal news publishers.
Best for independent and hyperlocal publishers seeking regulation
Ofcom — Office of Communications
UK's broadcasting, telecoms and postal regulator. Sets and enforces the Broadcasting Code, handles complaints and publishes research.
Best for broadcast journalists and on-demand content regulation
ICO — Information Commissioner's Office
UK's independent data protection authority. Governs FOI, GDPR, and the Data Protection Act 2018. Issues enforcement notices and guidance.
Best for FOI appeals, GDPR queries, and data journalism
ASA — Advertising Standards Authority
UK's independent advertising regulator. Rulings on misleading and harmful adverts in print, online and broadcast — useful for fact-checkers.
Best for journalists covering advertising and consumer protection
NUJ — National Union of Journalists
The UK and Ireland's trade union for journalists. Offers legal support, rates guidance, press cards, and welfare services for members.
Best for freelancers needing rates guidance, legal support and a press card
NUJ Freelance Fees Guide
The NUJ's recommended minimum rates for freelance journalists across print, broadcast and digital. Updated regularly to reflect industry changes.
Best for freelancers negotiating rates with UK publications
CIoJ — Chartered Institute of Journalists
One of the world's oldest professional bodies for journalists. Offers membership, a professional development programme and press credentials.
Best for journalists seeking chartered professional status
NUS Media Network
National Union of Students' network for student journalists across the UK. Connects student reporters, editors and broadcasters.
Best for student journalists looking to connect and develop skills
BECTU — Broadcasting Entertainment Communications Union
Union representing workers in broadcasting, film, theatre and entertainment. Covers camera operators, producers and technical media roles.
Best for broadcast and production journalists seeking union protection
NCTJ — National Council for the Training of Journalists
Industry-standard qualification body for UK journalists. Accredits journalism courses and offers the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism.
Best for students and career-changers seeking industry-recognised qualifications
BJTC — Broadcast Journalism Training Council
Accredits broadcast journalism courses across the UK and sets standards for training in radio, TV and online video journalism.
Best for aspiring broadcast journalists choosing an accredited course
BBC Academy
Free online journalism training from the BBC covering news writing, mobile journalism, social media verification, and editorial standards.
Best for free CPD across writing, digital and broadcast skills
Press Association Training
PA Media's dedicated training division offering NCTJ-accredited courses, fast-track programmes and in-house newsroom training.
Best for fast-track NCTJ journalism training with a national wire agency
News Associates
One of the UK's top-rated NCTJ training providers with centres in London and Manchester. Offers full-time and part-time diploma courses.
Best for fast-track NCTJ diplomas in London or Manchester
British Press Awards
The UK press industry's most prestigious annual awards, organised by Press Gazette. Covers national newspapers and digital outlets.
Best for national newspaper journalists seeking top industry recognition
Society of Editors Awards
Annual regional press and digital awards from the Society of Editors, recognising excellence in UK regional and national journalism.
Best for regional and digital journalists seeking peer recognition
BAFTA News & Factual Awards
BAFTA's awards for excellence in broadcast journalism, documentary and news coverage. Judged by industry peers.
Best for broadcast journalists and documentary makers
Foreign Press Association Media Awards
Annual awards by the Foreign Press Association in London recognising international journalism, foreign correspondents and media excellence.
Best for foreign correspondents and international affairs journalists
Orwell Prize for Journalism
One of the UK's most prestigious journalism prizes, awarded annually for outstanding political writing that makes politics real to readers.
Best for political journalists with strong long-form writing
Reuters Institute Journalism Fellowship
Prestigious fellowship at Oxford University's Reuters Institute for practising journalists. Supports independent research and professional development.
Best for mid-career journalists seeking Oxford-based research time
Knight-Bagehot Fellowship
Fellowship in economics and business journalism at Columbia University. Open to journalists from around the world including the UK.
Best for business and economics journalists seeking advanced training
Nieman Fellowship at Harvard
Year-long fellowship at Harvard University for experienced journalists from around the world to study and develop their craft.
Best for established journalists seeking a year of academic study at Harvard
John S Knight Journalism Fellowships
JSK Fellowships at Stanford University for journalists developing projects that address critical challenges in today's information landscape.
Best for journalists with ambitious innovation or media-change projects
Wincott Foundation Awards & Fellowship
UK foundation supporting excellence in financial and economic journalism through awards and training bursaries for British journalists.
Best for UK financial and economic journalists seeking recognition or funding
Press Gazette Jobs
Job listings from the UK's leading journalism trade publication. Covers national, regional, digital and broadcast roles.
Best for journalism jobs at UK national and digital outlets
Hold the Front Page Jobs
Leading jobs board for regional newspaper and digital journalism vacancies across the UK. Used heavily by regional publishers.
Best for regional press and local digital journalism roles
Guardian Jobs — Media & Journalism
The Guardian's jobs board filtered to media, journalism and communications roles. Covers national, international and specialist positions.
Best for national and specialist journalism job seekers
MediaArgh Jobs Board
Community-curated jobs board specifically for journalists and media workers. Also includes freelance commissions and pitching opportunities.
Best for freelancers and early-career journalists finding commissions
JournoResources Jobs
JournoResources' curated jobs and opportunities list for UK journalists. Compiled weekly with roles, grants and pitching calls.
Best for a weekly curated digest of UK journalism opportunities
WhatDoTheyKnow
Platform by mySociety to search existing FOI responses and submit new requests to any UK public authority. Responses are publicly archived.
Best for submitting and tracking FOI requests to UK public bodies
ICO FOI Complaint Portal
Official ICO portal to appeal an FOI refusal or complain about delayed responses. First step before an ICO formal investigation.
Best for challenging FOI refusals and late responses
gov.uk FOI Guidance
Official government guidance on making FOI requests, what information must be disclosed, and how public authorities must respond.
Best for understanding the formal FOI process and your legal rights
FOI Request Templates
Ready-to-send Freedom of Information request letter templates for NHS trusts, police forces, councils and government departments.
Best for journalists who want to save time drafting FOI requests
Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
ICO guidance on using EIR requests to obtain environmental data from UK public bodies — often more effective than standard FOI requests.
Best for journalists investigating environmental issues and planning decisions
Bellingcat Online Investigation Toolkit
Comprehensive guide to open-source investigation tools maintained by Bellingcat. Covers geolocation, satellite imagery, social media verification and more.
Best for investigative journalists starting open-source intelligence work
Hunchly — Web Capture for Investigations
Browser extension that automatically captures and timestamps web pages visited during an investigation. Creates an auditable evidence trail.
Best for investigators who need a timestamped evidence record of web research
TinEye Reverse Image Search
Reverse image search engine that finds where an image has been used online, with date-of-first-use data. Useful for debunking viral images.
Best for verifying whether an image has been used before or is recycled
Aleph by OCCRP
OCCRP's open-source data platform for searching leaked document collections, corporate registers, and sanctions lists across dozens of countries.
Best for cross-border investigations involving corporate and financial data
OSINT Framework
Comprehensive categorised directory of open-source intelligence tools and resources. Covers social media, domain data, images, people and more.
Best for discovering new OSINT tools categorised by research type
InVID & WeVerify Plugin
Browser extension for verifying video and image content. Provides reverse video search, metadata extraction and keyframe analysis.
Best for verifying videos and images circulating on social media
Google Reverse Image Search
Search by image in Google to find its origin, other uses, and context. Available via Google Lens and desktop Chrome.
Best for quick checks on whether a news image has been misrepresented
EXIF.tools — Image Metadata Viewer
Online tool to read EXIF metadata from photos including GPS coordinates, camera model, date and time. Useful for photo verification.
Best for extracting metadata from photos to verify location and date
RevEye Reverse Image Search
Browser extension that searches multiple reverse image search engines simultaneously including Google, Yandex, TinEye and Bing.
Best for cross-engine reverse image searches in a single click
First Draft — Verification Resources
Training and guides on verifying digital content, spotting synthetic media and applying verification principles to breaking news.
Best for journalists training in systematic content verification
data.gov.uk — UK Open Data Portal
Official UK government open data portal. Thousands of datasets from central and local government covering transport, health, economy and more.
Best for finding official government datasets for data journalism
ONS — Office for National Statistics
UK's largest independent producer of official statistics. Data on population, economy, labour market, crime, health and society.
Best for economic, population and social statistics journalism
NHS England Statistics
NHS England's statistical publications covering A&E waiting times, bed occupancy, staff numbers, mental health services and more.
Best for health correspondents covering NHS performance and trends
data.police.uk
Official Home Office police data portal. Download crime, stop-and-search and outcomes data by police force area or neighbourhood.
Best for crime reporters needing local police data downloads
Companies House Free Data Products
Bulk company data downloads from Companies House including accounts, confirmation statements and persons with significant control.
Best for business journalists and investigators needing bulk corporate data
BAILII — British and Irish Legal Information Institute
Free online database of case law from England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the UK Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeal.
Best for accessing UK court judgments for legal and investigative reporting
legislation.gov.uk
Official source for all UK Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments and revised legislation maintained by The National Archives.
Best for journalists checking the exact wording of UK legislation
Inforrm — Media Law Blog
Independent blog covering UK and international media law, defamation, privacy, press regulation and free speech. Contributed to by leading media lawyers.
Best for keeping up with UK media law developments and cases
5RB — Media Law Barrister Chambers
Leading UK media law barrister chambers. Their website publishes guidance notes on defamation, privacy, contempt and reporting restrictions.
Best for understanding specific areas of UK media law via free guidance notes
Media Law — Complete UK Guide
Our in-depth guide to UK media law covering defamation, contempt, privacy, data protection, and reporting restrictions.
Best for an accessible overview of all major UK media law areas in one place
Carter-Ruck
One of the UK's leading media law firms. Specialises in defamation, privacy, injunctions and press freedom. Acts for both claimants and defendants.
Best for understanding high-profile UK media law firm practice areas
Mishcon de Reya — Media Law
City law firm with a dedicated media law team handling defamation, privacy and reputation management for journalists and media organisations.
Best for publishers and journalists seeking pre-publication legal advice
Schillings — Reputation Law
Specialist UK law firm focused on reputation management, privacy and defamation. Known for acting on high-profile injunctions and media disputes.
Best for understanding the claimant side of UK media law disputes
Wiggin LLP — Media & Entertainment
UK media and entertainment law firm handling IP, defamation, and content disputes. Frequently works with broadcasters and digital publishers.
Best for broadcast and digital publishers needing media law representation
Foot Anstey — Media Law
Regional UK law firm with a strong media law practice acting for publishers, broadcasters and journalists on defamation and content disputes.
Best for regional media companies needing specialist legal support
Rory Peck Trust
International charity supporting freelance journalists who work in dangerous environments. Provides grants, insurance advice, and safety training.
Best for freelance journalists working in conflict zones or high-risk environments
INSI — International News Safety Institute
Provides safety training, resources and support for journalists and news media organisations operating in dangerous environments worldwide.
Best for journalists needing hostile environment safety training and resources
CPJ — Committee to Protect Journalists
Defends press freedom worldwide, documents journalist imprisonments and killings, and provides emergency assistance to journalists at risk.
Best for journalists facing threats, imprisonment or needing emergency support
RSF — Reporters Without Borders (UK)
Defends press freedom globally. Publishes the World Press Freedom Index and provides legal, financial and digital security support to journalists at risk.
Best for journalists monitoring global press freedom or facing state-level threats
IFEX — International Freedom of Expression Exchange
Global network of organisations defending freedom of expression. Tracks violations and offers resources for journalists under pressure.
Best for journalists and editors tracking global free expression violations
Samaritans
24/7 emotional support line (116 123). Free to call from any UK phone. Also available via email: jo@samaritans.org. For journalists in crisis.
Best for immediate emotional support at any time of day or night
Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma
Global resource for journalists covering trauma. Provides research, training and self-care guides on managing exposure to traumatic material.
Best for journalists who regularly cover traumatic events and need coping strategies
Mind — Workplace Wellbeing
Mind's resources for managing stress, anxiety and depression in high-pressure work environments. Includes guides for managers and individuals.
Best for managing stress, anxiety and burnout in journalism
NUJ Welfare & Benevolent Fund
Financial assistance and wellbeing support for NUJ members experiencing hardship, illness, mental health difficulties or career disruption.
Best for NUJ members needing financial or wellbeing support
British Association of Journalists — Welfare
The BAJ offers welfare support and practical assistance to members facing hardship, alongside its trade union functions.
Best for BAJ members seeking welfare assistance and union support
FreeAgent — Accounting for Freelancers
Cloud accounting software designed for UK freelancers and small businesses. Handles invoicing, expenses, self-assessment tax returns and VAT.
Best for freelance journalists managing their own accounts and self-assessment
QuickBooks UK — Self-Employed
Intuit QuickBooks self-employed plan for UK freelancers. Separates business and personal expenses, tracks mileage and prepares tax estimates.
Best for freelancers who want simple expense tracking and tax estimates
Xero — UK Accounting Software
Cloud accounting platform widely used by UK freelancers and small publishers. Includes invoicing, bank feeds, and Making Tax Digital compliance.
Best for freelancers or small editorial businesses needing full-featured accounting
HMRC Self-Employment Guide
Official HMRC guidance on registering as self-employed, completing Self Assessment, and allowable expenses for freelance journalists.
Best for journalists newly going freelance and needing to understand tax obligations
Invoice Template for UK Freelancers
Professional invoice template designed for UK freelance journalists. Includes VAT fields, payment terms, and late payment clauses.
Best for freelancers who need a professional, legally compliant invoice template
Substack
Newsletter and subscription platform widely used by independent UK journalists. Allows writers to build paid subscriber bases directly.
Best for journalists launching an independent newsletter with paid subscriptions
Beehiiv
Newsletter platform with built-in analytics, subscriber segmentation, and monetisation tools. Growing rapidly among UK media professionals.
Best for journalists wanting advanced analytics alongside newsletter publishing
Ghost — Publishing Platform
Open-source publishing platform with integrated newsletter and membership tools. Can be self-hosted or used via Ghost Pro.
Best for journalists wanting full control over their publishing platform
Buttondown
Lightweight newsletter platform favoured by journalists who want simplicity. Plain-text focus, low fees, and good deliverability.
Best for journalists wanting a simple, affordable newsletter with great deliverability
Mailchimp
Email marketing platform with a free tier for up to 500 contacts. Used by many newsrooms and independent journalists for newsletter distribution.
Best for newsrooms or journalists needing a familiar email marketing platform
Descript — Podcast & Video Editing
Audio and video editor that lets you edit by editing the transcript. Includes overdub, noise removal and collaboration tools for journalism teams.
Best for podcast producers and video journalists editing by text transcript
Riverside.fm — Remote Recording
Studio-quality remote recording platform for interviews and podcasts. Records locally in high quality and syncs to the cloud.
Best for journalists recording high-quality remote podcast or video interviews
Audacity — Free Audio Editor
Free, open-source audio editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. A staple for freelance radio journalists and podcast producers.
Best for freelance radio journalists needing a free, capable audio editor
Hindenburg Journalist Pro
Professional audio editing software designed specifically for broadcast journalists and radio. Used by BBC and global broadcasters.
Best for broadcast journalists producing radio packages and podcasts
DaVinci Resolve
Professional-grade free video editing software by Blackmagic Design. Used by TV and online journalists for complex multi-camera edits.
Best for video journalists needing professional editing software for free
Datawrapper
Free data visualisation tool for creating charts, maps and tables for online news stories. No coding required. Used by major UK newsrooms.
Best for creating embeddable charts and maps quickly without coding
Flourish — Data Storytelling
Browser-based tool for creating interactive charts, maps, stories and animations. Used by The Guardian, BBC and Financial Times.
Best for creating interactive, animated data stories for digital publications
Canva for Journalists
Free design tool with templates for social media graphics, infographics and visual story packages. Huge library of templates relevant to news.
Best for journalists who need professional-looking graphics without design skills
RAWGraphs — Open-Source Visualisation
Free open-source data visualisation framework. Produces less common chart types such as alluvial diagrams, beeswarm and bumps charts.
Best for data journalists who need unusual chart types beyond bar and line charts
Flourish & Observable — Data Notebooks
Observable notebooks allow journalists to write and publish interactive data analyses in JavaScript. Increasingly used in UK investigative teams.
Best for data journalists comfortable with JavaScript wanting shareable notebooks
CourtServe — Court Listings
Provides access to court and tribunal hearing lists for England and Wales. Essential for journalists covering court proceedings.
Best for court reporters tracking hearing dates and case references
Judicial College — Equal Treatment Bench Book
The Judicial College's guidance for judges on fair treatment in courts. Useful background reading for court reporters.
Best for understanding judicial guidance relevant to court reporting contexts
BAILII Court Listings & Judgments
BAILII provides free access to UK and Irish case law including recent judgments from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court.
Best for accessing full-text judgments from UK courts for free
HMCTS — Find a Court or Tribunal
Official HMCTS service to find court addresses, opening hours, and contact information. Lists court listing times for England and Wales.
Best for finding court contact details and hearing information
Reporting Restrictions Quick Reference
Common reporting restrictions in UK courts including Section 4(2), Section 11, and youth court anonymity. Essential for court reporters.
Best for court reporters who need a quick-reference on UK reporting restrictions
Hansard — Official UK Parliament Record
Official verbatim record of all UK Parliament debates in the House of Commons and House of Lords. Searchable back to 1803.
Best for checking exactly what MPs and Lords have said on any topic
TheyWorkForYou
mySociety's site making UK parliament data accessible. Tracks MP voting records, speeches, written questions and interests.
Best for quickly checking an MP's voting record and parliamentary activity
Register of Members' Financial Interests
Official register of all financial interests declared by MPs. Essential for political journalists investigating conflicts of interest.
Best for investigating MP financial interests and potential conflicts of interest
IPSA — MPs' Expenses and Pay
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority publishes all MP expenses claims and pay rates. Fully searchable by MP and category.
Best for journalists investigating individual MP expenses and costs claims
APPG Register — All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Official register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups including their officers, membership, financial benefits and secretariat details.
Best for investigating lobbying influence through All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Local Government Transparency Code
Government requirements for local authorities to publish data including expenditure over £500, senior pay, and contracts. Your rights to this data.
Best for journalists who want to understand what council data must be published
Council FOI Disclosure Logs
Most UK councils publish a log of all FOI responses. Check before submitting a request — your answer may already be published.
Best for journalists checking whether a council FOI has already been answered
Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC-funded scheme placing local democracy reporters in regional newsrooms to cover councils, courts and local public services.
Best for regional journalists covering local democratic accountability
OpenCouncilData
Aggregates financial and spending data published by UK local councils into a searchable format. Useful for comparing council spending.
Best for comparing spending and financial data across UK local councils
Planning Portal — Council Applications
Search planning applications submitted to any UK local planning authority. Includes documents, decisions and appeal outcomes.
Best for journalists investigating property development and planning decisions
NHS Digital — Official Health Statistics
NHS Digital publishes health and social care data for England including prescribing, workforce, mental health and hospital activity data.
Best for health journalists seeking official NHS data and statistics
ICB Websites — Integrated Care Board Data
NHS Integrated Care Boards publish local health spending, commissioning plans and board papers. Searchable via individual ICB sites.
Best for journalists covering local NHS commissioning and spending decisions
CQC — Care Quality Commission Reports
CQC inspection reports for all NHS trusts, GP practices and care homes in England. Rated Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.
Best for journalists reporting on quality of NHS and care home services
NHS RightCare — Benchmarking Data
NHS RightCare publishes localised data packs comparing health outcomes, spend and activity across clinical commissioning areas.
Best for comparing NHS outcomes and spending between areas of England
NHS Waiting Times Dashboard
Interactive dashboard from NHS England showing elective waiting times broken down by trust, specialty and time waited.
Best for health correspondents tracking NHS waiting list performance
data.police.uk — Crime & Policing Data
Official Home Office portal for downloading street-level crime, stop-and-search and outcomes data by police force area or neighbourhood.
Best for crime reporters analysing local crime trends by neighbourhood
HMICFRS — Police Inspection Reports
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary publishes inspection reports and data on all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
Best for journalists investigating police performance and accountability
IOPC — Independent Office for Police Conduct
Oversees the police complaints system in England and Wales. Publishes investigation summaries, statistics and learning recommendations.
Best for journalists investigating police misconduct and complaints outcomes
NPCC — National Police Chiefs' Council
Co-ordinates operational policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Publishes national guidance, statements and data releases.
Best for national-level policing data and policy statements
Scottish Police Authority Data
The Scottish Police Authority publishes performance data, board papers and scrutiny reports for Police Scotland.
Best for journalists covering policing in Scotland
Electoral Commission — UK Election Data
Publishes official UK election results, party and campaign spending returns, candidate registers and electoral statistics.
Best for journalists covering UK elections, party funding and campaign spending
Democracy Club — Candidates & Polling Data
Aggregates data on UK election candidates, polling station locations and election results. Used by major UK news organisations.
Best for building candidate databases and polling station finders for elections
Election Maps UK
Interactive maps showing UK election results and swings at constituency level. Useful visual resource for election night and result analysis.
Best for visualising and contextualising UK constituency election results
British Election Study Data
Academic survey data tracking UK voting behaviour, political attitudes and party identification since 1964. Downloadable datasets.
Best for journalists wanting longitudinal data on UK voting behaviour
House of Commons Library — Election Statistics
The Commons Library publishes authoritative briefings and data on UK election results, turnout, voter registration and boundary changes.
Best for authoritative election data briefings and historical comparisons
Companies House — Free Company Search
Search, view and download public company information including accounts, directors, shareholders and persons with significant control.
Best for journalists investigating UK companies, their directors and owners
OpenCorporates — Global Company Database
World's largest open database of company information covering 200+ jurisdictions. Useful for tracing offshore and cross-border corporate structures.
Best for tracing corporate ownership structures across multiple jurisdictions
Charity Commission for England & Wales
Register and accounts of all charities in England and Wales. Search by name, area, income and trustee. Essential for charity sector journalism.
Best for journalists investigating charities, trustees and charity finances in England and Wales
FRC — Financial Reporting Council
UK's audit and accounting regulator. Publishes enforcement decisions, audit inspection reports and guidance on corporate governance.
Best for business journalists investigating audit failures and corporate governance
Insolvency Service — Company Disqualifications
Search the register of disqualified company directors in the UK. Useful for background checks when writing about business figures.
Best for checking whether a business figure has been disqualified as a director
Charity Commission for England & Wales — Data
Official register with full accounts, trustees, income/expenditure, and serious incident reports for all registered charities in England and Wales.
Best for investigating charity governance, finance and serious incident reports
OSCR — Scottish Charity Regulator
Registers and regulates charities in Scotland. Full charity search, accounts and annual returns publicly available.
Best for journalists investigating charities registered in Scotland
CCNI — Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland's charity regulator. Searchable register of charities with accounts and trustee information.
Best for journalists investigating charities operating in Northern Ireland
360Giving — UK Grant Data
Open data standard and portal for UK grant-makers. See who funds what across foundations, government and lottery distributors.
Best for investigating philanthropy, grant funding and who funds civil society
NCVO — Data on the Voluntary Sector
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations publishes the UK Civil Society Almanac — the definitive dataset on the charity and voluntary sector.
Best for journalists writing about the scale and trends in the UK charity sector
Pitch Email Template
A proven pitch email structure that UK editors respond to. Customisable for different publication types and story angles.
Best for freelancers crafting effective pitch emails to UK editors
Journalism Salary Benchmarking
Annual salary survey data for UK journalists across print, digital, broadcast and freelance — sourced from NUJ and industry surveys.
Best for freelancers benchmarking their rates against industry averages
Contempt of Court Act 1981 — Key Provisions
Key provisions of the Contempt of Court Act that UK journalists must know, including strict liability and what constitutes an active proceeding.
Best for journalists needing to understand contempt risks when covering court cases
SLAPPs Defence Guide
Understanding Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation and how UK journalists can recognise and resist them.
Best for journalists and publishers who face legal threats designed to silence reporting
ResponseSource
Platform connecting UK journalists with press offices and PR professionals. Free for journalists to receive expert sources and press releases.
Best for journalists seeking expert sources and broadcast contributors
Press Gazette
UK's leading journalism trade publication. Industry news, job listings, ABC circulation data, and the British Press Awards.
Best for keeping up with UK media industry news, data and job listings
Journalism.co.uk
Online resource for UK journalists with news, training listings, practical guides and jobs board.
Best for discovering UK journalism training courses and industry news
Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Award-winning UK investigative journalism organisation. Publishes data, FOI findings and long-form investigations on public interest topics.
Best for following exemplary UK investigative journalism and learning from their methods
PA Media Wire Service
PA Media — the UK's national news agency providing real-time text, photo and video content to newsrooms across the UK and Ireland.
Best for newsrooms subscribing to the UK's primary national wire service
Signal Messenger
End-to-end encrypted messaging app recommended for secure communication with sources and colleagues. Free and open source.
Best for journalists communicating securely with sensitive sources
Hemingway Editor
Free web tool that highlights complex sentences, passive voice and readability problems. Great for tightening news copy before filing.
Best for tightening news copy and improving readability scores
Otter.ai — AI Transcription
AI-powered transcription tool for interviews and press conferences. Free tier includes 300 minutes per month.
Best for automatically transcribing recorded interviews without a typist
Google News Initiative Training
Free online training from Google covering verification, data journalism, digital security and audience growth for journalists.
Best for free CPD in digital journalism skills and Google tools
Ofcom Broadcasting Code
The full Ofcom Broadcasting Code covering accuracy, impartiality, elections, harm and offence — essential reading for broadcast journalists.
Best for broadcast journalists who need to know their regulatory obligations
PTSD & Trauma Support for Journalists
Specialist counselling and support services for UK journalists who have experienced trauma through their work, including conflict and crime coverage.
Best for journalists seeking specialist trauma support after difficult assignments
Defamation Act 2013 — Quick Guide
Summary of the Defamation Act 2013, the serious harm test, available defences and practical tips for avoiding defamation claims.
Best for journalists who need to understand UK defamation law basics quickly
Illustrative UK Freelance Rates
These rates are for illustration only, based on industry surveys and NUJ guidance. Actual rates vary by publication, experience and subject specialism. Always negotiate based on the value you bring.
| Assignment Type | National | Regional | Trade/B2B | Digital-Only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| News story (500 words) | £250–400 | £80–150 | £150–250 | £100–200 |
| Feature (1,500 words) | £500–1,200 | £150–350 | £300–600 | £200–500 |
| Investigation (day rate) | £300–500 | £150–250 | £200–400 | £200–350 |
| Comment/Opinion (800 words) | £300–500 | £100–200 | £200–350 | £150–300 |
| Photography (half day) | £200–400 | £100–200 | £150–300 | £100–250 |
| Sub-editing/Copy-editing (shift) | £200–350 | £120–180 | £150–250 | £130–220 |
| News shift (8 hours) | £250–450 | £150–250 | £200–300 | £180–280 |
| Podcast episode production | £300–600 | £150–300 | £200–400 | £200–400 |
| Video package (per minute) | £400–800 | £200–400 | £250–500 | £200–450 |
| Social media management (day) | £250–400 | £120–200 | £150–300 | £150–280 |
Source: Illustrative data curated from NUJ guidance, Press Gazette surveys, and industry experience. Use our Rate Calculator for personalised estimates.