What changed in official guidance?

1. Consent is not the only lawful basis—but that does not remove marketing rules

Updated 23 October 2026. The ICO’s revised public guidance explains that organisations can process personal information under an appropriate lawful basis other than consent. It also distinguishes that decision from the additional rules governing electronic direct marketing. An agency’s statement that it has a lawful basis is therefore not, by itself, an answer to whether a proposed campaign is permitted. (ico.org.uk)

Buyer action: Ask for separate explanations covering inbound enquiry handling, recording or transcription, and outbound marketing. Do not accept one blanket answer for all three.

2. Check the grant script—not just the chatbot’s confidence

Updated 20 October 2026; grant categories effective from 21 July 2026. The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme notice lists £9,000 for eligible off-gas-grid oil or LPG replacements using air-to-water or ground-source heat pumps in England and Wales. The October page update is not a new October launch of that grant. (gov.uk)

Buyer action: Make heat-pump enquiry qualification capture location, existing fuel and proposed technology. Require a human eligibility check before making a funding commitment.