Protect Your Brand in 2025: File It, Monitor It, Own It
Discover why UK SMEs still need to file and monitor trademarks—even without EUIPO support—and what it could cost if you don’t.
Don’t Risk It: Why Filing and Monitoring Your Trademark Matters More Than Ever
If you’re an SME in the UK, you might have seen the EUIPO SME Fund for EU-based businesses. Unfortunately, this support isn’t available to UK companies post-Brexit. But that doesn’t mean you should delay trademark filing or monitoring—far from it.
There’s actually UK-based support available too. Let’s take a look.
UK Support: IP Advance from the UK IPO
The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) runs a scheme called IP Advance (previously IP Audit and IP Access) designed to help UK SMEs protect their intellectual property.
What is IP Advance?
- IP Audit (Level 1) – A professional review of your IP position (including trademarks), part-funded by the IPO up to £2,250.
- IP Access (Level 2) – Follow-on support to help implement the audit's findings, also part-funded up to £2,250.
To access this funding, you must be referred through a UK support partner, like Innovate UK EDGE, Scottish Enterprise, the Welsh Government or Invest Northern Ireland.
Why it matters
Even without EU support, UK SMEs can still:
- Get expert help filing and protecting trademarks
- Strengthen their IP strategy for growth or investment
- Reduce the personal and financial risk of brand misuse
Why trademark filing is essential for UK SMEs
A trademark isn’t just a logo or business name. It’s your reputation, your story, your promise to customers.
Fail to register it, and anyone can:
- Imitate your name or logo
- Benefit from your hard-earned brand recognition
- Register it themselves and force you to rebrand
The legal fight to win back a brand name is costly, complex, and often emotionally draining—especially if your brand is tied to years of personal work and growth.
The hidden cost of not filing
Many UK SMEs delay filing because they’re focused on growth, short on time, or unsure what’s needed. But the longer you wait, the more risk you take on.
Consider this:
- Legal battles over trademark ownership can cost tens of thousands in fees.
- Rebranding costs (new logo, website, packaging, signage) can easily exceed £10,000.
- Customer trust can drop if a brand suddenly changes name or gets caught in a dispute.
- And the emotional toll—seeing someone else use your identity—is rarely talked about but deeply felt.
Registering a trademark gives you the legal power to stop misuse. It's a small cost upfront that can save you far more down the line.
Registering isn’t enough—you also need to monitor
Even with a trademark registered, the work doesn’t stop there. Others can still:
- Register similar names or logos in different regions
- Set up lookalike domains to capture your traffic
- Launch fake products under your brand
If you don’t monitor your trademark or domain name, infringements can slip by unnoticed—until the damage is done.
Real examples we’ve seen:
- A fashion SME had their name copied by a dropshipping site using a .co domain. They lost search rankings and thousands in sales.
- A UK startup found their logo being used on Instagram by a spoof account selling counterfeits. The copycat gained 3,000 followers before action was taken.
In both cases, regular trademark and domain monitoring could have spotted the issue sooner—and made enforcement quicker.
How TmFlare helps SMEs stay protected
At TmFlare, we help small businesses monitor their trademarks and domains in real time. Whether it’s new filings, domain registrations or suspicious online use, we send alerts that help you act fast.
TmFlare makes trademark protection simpler, more affordable, and more proactive—especially for SMEs without in-house legal support.
Conclusion: You don’t need a grant to protect your brand
Even without EU funding, UK businesses aren’t on their own. With IP Advance and affordable tools like TmFlare, there’s a clear path to protection.
Register your trademark, monitor it actively, and take advantage of the support available to help you stay one step ahead.