Last updated: 20 August 2026
1. About this Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how VerifiedAcademics.co.uk (“we”, “our”, and “us”) collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information when you visit verifiedacademics.co.uk (the “Platform”), contact us, or use our editing, proofreading, and reviewing services (the “Services”). We are the controller of the personal information described in this Policy.
2. Personal information we collect
We may collect:
- identity and contact information, including your name, email address, telephone number, and billing address;
- account, request, and transaction information;
- content, instructions, files, feedback, and communications you provide;
- limited payment information received from our payment providers; and
- technical and usage information, including your IP address, browser, device, approximate location, referring page, and interactions with the Platform.
Please do not provide personal information that is unnecessary for the Services, particularly sensitive information about you or another person.
3. How we collect information
We collect personal information directly from you when you create an account, submit a request, make a payment, contact us, or otherwise use the Platform. We may also receive information automatically through cookies and similar technologies, or from payment, analytics, fraud-prevention, communication, and hosting providers.
If you provide information about another person, you must have a lawful reason to do so and, where required, tell them how we will use it.
4. How and why we use information
We use personal information to:
- provide, administer, and personalise the Services;
- process payments and maintain transaction records;
- communicate with you and provide support;
- verify requests, prevent fraud, and protect the Platform;
- analyse and improve our Services and business operations;
- comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and accounting obligations; and
- send marketing communications where permitted by law.
Our lawful bases are performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting our business, and consent where required. You may withdraw consent at any time. You may also unsubscribe from marketing emails by using the link in the message or contacting us.
We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects unless we tell you separately and provide the safeguards required by law.
5. Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small files stored on your device. We may use:
- strictly necessary cookies to operate, secure, and maintain the Platform, process requests, and remember privacy choices;
- functional cookies to remember settings and improve features;
- analytics cookies to understand Platform use and performance; and
- advertising cookies, where used, to measure campaigns or provide relevant advertising.
Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent. We will ask for consent before using non-essential cookies, and you may accept, reject, or change your choices through the cookie banner or settings tool. Withdrawing consent does not affect earlier lawful use. You may also restrict cookies through your browser, although some Platform functions may then be unavailable.
The cookie settings tool provides current details of the cookies in use, including their providers, purposes, and duration. The same rules apply to similar technologies that store or access information on your device.
6. Sharing personal information
We may share personal information only where reasonably necessary with:
- Editors who provide the Services;
- payment, hosting, storage, communication, analytics, security, and support providers;
- professional advisers, insurers, auditors, and prospective purchasers of our business; and
- courts, regulators, law-enforcement bodies, or other parties where required by law or necessary to protect legal rights.
Service providers may use personal information only for authorised purposes and must protect it appropriately. We do not sell personal information.
7. International transfers
Some recipients may process personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where required, we use lawful safeguards, such as UK adequacy regulations, the International Data Transfer Agreement, or the UK Addendum to approved standard contractual clauses. You may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to your information.
8. Retention and security
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, including providing the Services, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, and meeting legal, tax, and accounting requirements. Retention periods depend on the type of information, the nature of our relationship, and applicable legal obligations. Information is then deleted or anonymised where appropriate.
We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. No online system can be guaranteed completely secure, and you are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.
9. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, and to restrict or object to its use. You may also have the right to data portability and to withdraw consent. These rights may be limited by law.
You have the right to object at any time to the use of your personal information for direct marketing. You may exercise your rights by contacting us. We may need to verify your identity before responding and will normally respond within the period required by law.
10. Changes, questions, and complaints
We may update this Policy to reflect legal, technical, or operational changes. The latest version will be posted on the Platform with its effective date.
Please contact us first if you have a question, request, or complaint:
Email: [email protected]
You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern before you contact the ICO, but you are not required to contact us first.