Short answer: neither BACP nor UKCP has a separate set of website rules, but parts of both codes land on your website. For BACP members, the clauses that matter most from midday on Tuesday 3 November 2026 are the privacy notice (3.1d), AI and digital tools (2.1e), accurate qualifications (1.2a) and clear fees (3.4b).
The BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2026 replaces the 2018 version at midday on 3 November. BACP describes it as “not a set of rules but is interpretative”: you decide how it applies to your practice, and you need to be able to explain your reasoning. What follows is a list of places to look, not a verdict; the ethical judgement sits with you and your supervisor.
What does the privacy notice clause (3.1d) mean for my website?
It means your privacy notice should tell people about the tools on your website that collect their data, and they should be able to agree to that. Clause 3.1d names “the use of digital storage systems, platforms or tools that may monitor or collect data” as something people must be aware of.
On a therapy website, that usually means:
- the contact form, and where its messages are stored
- a booking system or calendar link
- Google Analytics or another visitor counter
- cookies and the cookie banner
- a newsletter sign-up
- a payment service, such as Stripe or PayPal
- a Google map, YouTube video or reviews widget, which can collect visitor data as the page loads
The tools behind the site count too: your email, cloud storage, notes app and any AI note-taker belong in the same notice.
The check: open your privacy page and see whether each tool on your site is named.
Does the AI clause (2.1e) cover my website?
Yes: it is wider than AI. Clause 2.1e asks you to assess the risk of “any artificial intelligence tool (AI), digital tool or online platform” before using it, and to be able to demonstrate that you understand how it handles data and are open with people about using it.
On a website, that takes in a chatbot, an online booking platform and the video service you use for online sessions. The words “be able to demonstrate” suggest keeping a short written note for each tool: what it is, what data it handles, and why you chose it. If AI helps write your wording, 2.1e(v) applies too: you stay responsible for what it produces.
What should my website say about my qualifications?
It should be clear and accurate. Clause 1.2a asks for “clear, accurate information about services offered, our level of qualification, experience and our competence to undertake that work.”
The common slip is in membership wording, such as “accredited” where “registered member” is what is true. When I write wording for a therapist’s site, I never put a qualification, membership or accreditation on the page until they have confirmed it to me in writing. Advertising rules add their own limits, covered in what the CAP Code means for your therapy website. Say them plainly, in one place: a page written to impress other therapists will not get found by the people who need one.
Do I have to put my fees on my website?
The framework does not say “website”, but that is where most people look. Clause 3.4b asks for “clear and transparent information” about your fees, “including when and how payments are to be made and how and when fees will be reviewed.”
Check your fees page covers the price, how and when people pay, and when you review it.
What does the UKCP Code of Ethics say about websites?
UKCP has its own code, the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (2019), which applies “whether you meet clients in person, online or otherwise.” Several points read straight onto a website:
- Point 11: a clear and honest statement of your qualifications and your UKCP registration in your advertising
- Point 13: no claims you cannot show to be true, and no client testimonials in any advertising
- Point 14: your terms, fees and conditions explained, with information about complaints readily available
Point 13 is the one to check first if your site shows reviews. UKCP says it is updating the 2019 code.
Which UK web designers understand BACP and UKCP requirements for therapist websites?
The useful test is not a name but four questions any designer should be able to answer before you agree anything:
- Can you list every tool on my website that collects data, so I can name each one in my privacy notice?
- Will you tell me when you add a new tool, so I can update the notice and my own records?
- Will you check every qualification and membership with me before it goes on the page?
- Do you know whether my professional body allows testimonials?
A related article covers how to choose a website designer for your counselling practice.
For what I do, as one option: because I build and host the sites I look after, I know which tools are on them. On my Pay Monthly plans, Google Analytics and Search Console come connected as standard, so they are on that list from day one. Privacy, terms and GDPR pages are a £99 setup on their own, and I write therapy wording with the claims rules in mind. The ethical calls stay with you and your supervisor.
Where to start before 3 November
Start with your privacy page and the list of tools on your site: that is where the new framework meets your website most directly. My free website checklist covers the rest of your site, one thing at a time.