Every story published on readingwire.co.uk is built on a foundation of verifiable information. Our journalists and editors work to ensure that what we report can be traced back to a clear, citable source. We rely on official statements, direct interviews, public records, and verified data. Where we cannot independently confirm a fact, we do not publish it. For more detail on how we handle fact-checking and editorial decisions, please see our fact-checking policy and editorial policy.
Official and primary sources
We give priority to primary and official sources. The following are among the databases, registries and government bodies we consult regularly for authoritative data and records:
- Companies House — official register of UK companies, directors and financial filings.
- Office for National Statistics — UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics on the economy, population and society.
- UK Parliament — legislation, Hansard, committee reports and parliamentary proceedings.
- GOV.UK — central portal for UK government publications, policy papers and press releases.
- NHS — health guidance, data and official statements from the National Health Service.
- Met Office — UK’s national weather service, providing climate data, forecasts and severe weather warnings.
Regulatory and standards bodies
When reporting on regulated sectors, consumer protection, data rights or media standards, we refer to the following bodies for guidance, rulings and enforcement actions:
- IPSO — Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates the UK’s newspaper and magazine industry and adjudicates complaints.
- ICO — Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and freedom of information.
- Advertising Standards Authority — the UK’s independent regulator for advertising across all media.
- Ofcom — the UK’s communications regulator, overseeing broadcast, telecoms and postal services.
What we rely on day to day
Our editorial team uses a consistent set of source types to build and verify stories. These include:
- Official government and regulatory statements
- Corporate announcements and filings
- Court documents and public legal records
- Direct interviews with named sources, conducted by our journalists
- Press conferences and public hearings
- Verified public social media posts from officials, agencies and credible organisations
- First-hand reporting by our team or trusted wire partners
- Official statistics from recognised national and international bodies
We treat rumours, speculation and anonymous claims with extreme caution. Any information that cannot be attributed to a verifiable source is clearly labelled as such, and we never present it as established fact. Our editorial policy contains further detail on our handling of anonymous sources and unverified claims.
How to challenge our reporting
We take accuracy seriously. If you believe a story published on readingwire.co.uk contains a factual error, a misleading statement or a breach of editorial standards, we want to hear from you.
- Corrections — to request a correction, please review our corrections policy and email corrections@readingwire.co.uk.
- Complaints — if your concern is broader than a factual error, our complaints procedure outlines how we investigate and respond. You can also contact complaints@readingwire.co.uk.
- Fact-check queries — for questions about the verification of a specific claim or source, write to factcheck@readingwire.co.uk. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Thomas Ellery, oversees this process.
For more about how readingwire.co.uk is funded, its ownership and its use of automation, please see Ownership & Funding and AI & Automation Policy. To learn about our team and editorial leadership, visit our Our Team page.