Advertising Disclosure for CluedUp
Quick answer: This is the advertising disclosure for CluedUp. We make money from clearly labelled advertising, sponsored content and partnerships, and we disclose every paid placement. We are an independent publisher, not a government body, and our free guidance is never for sale and never altered by advertising.
Key takeaways
- Why this exists: so readers always know what is paid and what is our independent guidance.
- What we disclose: advertising, sponsored content and any commercial partnership.
- Our standard: disclosure follows the FTC endorsement guidelines.
- The firm line: our guidance is never for sale, and adverts never change a guide.
- No hidden links: we do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links.
Why we publish this disclosure
CluedUp helps people understand real processes and make everyday decisions, so trust is everything. A clear disclosure tells you how we fund the work and how to spot anything paid. We would rather be plainly honest about our commercial arrangements than leave you guessing, because guidance you cannot trust is worthless — especially on public-service topics.
We also publish this because the alternative is corrosive. When a reader cannot tell paid content from independent advice, they end up doubting all of it, including the parts that are entirely our own. A single unlabelled advert can cast a shadow over a whole site. By setting out our funding and our labelling in one place, we give you a fixed reference you can hold us to — and a standard we hold ourselves to every time we publish. If we ever fall short of it, this page is the yardstick.
We are an independent publisher
CluedUp is an independent publication. We are not a government agency, department or official body, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government. When we describe an official process we do so in plain language and point you to the responsible authority. No commercial arrangement changes that role, and no advertiser speaks for us. We spell this out on our commercial pages precisely because public-service topics can blur in a reader’s mind: a site that explains how something official works is not the official body itself. Keeping that distinction sharp protects you from assuming an advertiser carries government approval, and protects us from anyone who might wish to imply it.
How we make money
Our income comes from three labelled sources: advertising, sponsored content and partnerships. Each is disclosed in its own way, and you can read the full detail of our model on the how we make money page. What matters here is that every one of them is visible to you as a reader. None of them is a hidden fourth category dressed up as editorial: if money changed hands, a label tells you so, and if no label appears, none did. That is the simple promise this page exists to keep.
How we label paid content
- Advertising is visually distinct from our guides and marked as advertising.
- Sponsored content carries a clear sponsored label and is never presented as independent guidance.
- Partnership content discloses the commercial relationship where one exists.
If a page carries no such label, it is our own independent guidance. We try to place labels where you will actually see them — with the content they describe, not tucked away in a footer or behind a link — so that the disclosure does its job at the moment it matters. If you ever come across something on CluedUp that seems commercial but is not clearly marked, we would genuinely like to know, because a missed label is a mistake we want to fix rather than defend.
What advertising never affects
Advertising never affects the accuracy of a guide. Advertisers and sponsors cannot edit our guidance, cannot buy a favourable mention inside a guide, and cannot have accurate information removed. Our editorial team decides what we publish and what it says, independently of any commercial arrangement. Paid placement buys visibility next to our guidance, never control over it.
Links and endorsements
We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. Where a link forms part of a paid arrangement, that arrangement is disclosed. A mention on CluedUp is not something an advertiser can buy inside our independent guidance, and our recommendations, where we make them, reflect our own assessment, not a payment. This matters because disguised paid links are one of the most common ways trust is quietly sold on the web, and we have chosen not to play that game. An honest link that helps a reader is welcome; a hidden one bought to look like editorial endorsement is exactly what we refuse. If we link to a partner as part of a disclosed arrangement, we will say so rather than let you assume it is a neutral pick.
Our standard: the FTC endorsement guidelines
We aim to disclose clearly and conspicuously, in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines — a widely used benchmark for honest advertising and endorsements. That means labels a reader can actually notice and understand, placed where the paid content is, not buried. If you ever feel something was not clearly labelled, please tell us.
Not professional advice
Everything on CluedUp, whether an independent guide or a labelled commercial placement, is information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice, and it is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified professional or the relevant official authority. Please treat it as a clear starting point, and confirm anything important with the responsible body before you act. Rules, fees and procedures change, and individual circumstances differ, so what is broadly true in a guide may not fit your exact situation. When the stakes are high — money, legal standing, an official deadline — a quick check with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser is always worth the time, and nothing on this site is meant to replace it.
CluedUp is an independent publication with a named team and published methods — read about us and how we verify and edit our guides. This disclosure reflects our commitment to the FTC endorsement guidelines and to keeping our guidance independent and information-only. Questions about advertising, labelling or any placement are welcome via our contact page or at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
What is this disclosure for?
It explains how CluedUp makes money and how we label paid content, so you can always tell advertising from our independent guidance.
Does advertising affect your guides?
No. Advertising never affects the accuracy of a guide, and our guidance is never for sale.
Is CluedUp a government site?
No. We are an independent publisher, not a government agency, and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government.
How do you label paid content?
Adverts are marked as advertising and sponsored articles carry a sponsored label. Unlabelled pages are our own guidance.
Do you sell links?
No. We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. Any paid link arrangement is disclosed.
What standard do you follow?
We aim to disclose clearly and conspicuously in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines.
Is your content professional advice?
No. It is information only — not legal, financial or professional advice. Confirm important matters with the relevant authority.
How do I raise a concern?
Contact us via the contact page or email [email protected] and we will look into it.