UK GDPR: The UK General Data Protection Regulation governs how personal information should be handled and processed in reference letters, requiring fair and lawful processing of personal data

Data Protection Act 2018: UK's implementation of data protection laws, working alongside UK GDPR to regulate how personal information is used and shared in documents like reference letters

Defamation Act 2013: Provides the legal framework to ensure references don't contain potentially libelous or defamatory statements that could damage someone's reputation

Equality Act 2010: Ensures that references avoid any discriminatory statements based on protected characteristics such as age, gender, race, religion, or disability

Spring v Guardian Assurance Case Law: Key legal precedent establishing that reference providers owe a duty of care to the subject of the reference to ensure accuracy and fairness

Common Law Duty of Care: Legal obligation requiring reference providers to ensure information provided is accurate, fair, and not misleading