How to write for our website and our A to Z style guide.
On first use, write the full term, then the acronym in brackets (unless it’s universally known, e.g. NHS, UK). Do not use full stops in acronyms (write HMRC, not H.M.R.C.)
When writing addresses, use this format. Left-aligned, with no commas or full stops:
Southwark Council
160 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2QH
Do not use '&'. Use 'and' instead.
One word. Do not use a hyphen and do not write as two words.
Start each word with a capital letter.
Do not use bold to emphasise text. For time-sensitive dates, use clear and unambiguous phrasing. For example: “Apply by 25 January”. Avoid “By end of day”.
Lowercase in general use. Capitalise only in “London Borough of Southwark” or in official titles. For example, “Borough of Sanctuary”.
Lower case on both words.
Lower case.
Use cannot instead of can't. See more detail on contractions below.
Job titles (generic): lowercase (the director).
Job titles (specific): capitalise when referring to a named role (Strategic Director of Environment).
Start each word with a capital letter.
It's one word.
Lower case 'c' and 'e'.
Lower case, unless it’s referring to a specific committee (Corporate Parenting Committee).
Start each word with a capital letter. Write out in full, the first time it's used on a page with the acronym in brackets. Subsequent references on a page can be just the acronym.
Start each word with a capital letter. Write out in full, the first time it's used on a page with the acronym in brackets. Subsequent references on a page can be just the acronym.
Avoid negative contractions like can’t and don’t. Many users find them harder to read, or misread them as the opposite of what they say. Use cannot, instead of can’t.
Avoid should’ve, could’ve, would’ve, they’ve too. These can also be hard to read.
Spell it out in full on first reference; thereafter, use “CPZ” only.
Lower case 'c', 'o' and 'l'.
Lowercase, except “Southwark Council”.
Start each word with a capital letter.
Start each word with a capital letter when referring to the name of the benefit.
Lower case if it is used in general, for example 'your local councillor will hold a surgery.' Upper case it it's a specific councillor, for example 'at the opening event Councillor John Smith cut the ribbon.'
All capital letters.
Write out the whole word, and start each word with a capital letter, for example Monday to Friday. You can shorten in a table if space is limited, for example Mon to Fri.
Lowercase when generic; capitalise official names (Department for Work and Pensions).
Start each word with a capital letter.
Lowercase. With name or formal title: capitalise (Strategic Director).
Avoid using e.g. or eg (it can be mis-read by screenreaders). Use 'for example', 'like', 'such as', or 'including' instead.
Lower case, unless at the start of a sentence.
Avoid using 'etc.,'. Do not put 'etc.' at the end of a list that starts with 'for example', 'like', 'such as', or 'including'.
Lowercase: “Anyone caught fly-tipping will be fined.”
Hyphenate.
Start each word with a capital letter.
Do not use FAQs on the website.
Spell it out in full on first use, then FOI.
All capitals, apart from the s if it's plural. No full stop between letters.
Lowercase in general; capitalise specific (2017 General Election).
Lower case unless it’s a full title. For example 'the government funding lasts until 2026 or ‘His Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’.
Upper case.
Write the full name of a grant or funding programme in lowercase.
One word. Do not hyphenate or write as two words.
One word and start with capital 'H'.
Start each word with a capital letter. However, benefit/s on its own is lower case e.g. Housing Benefit is a benefit.
Write the first letter of each word in upper case, except the preposition 'in', with the acronym at the end.
Never use hyphens in ranges. Always use 'to' instead. For example write 10 to 15 March and not 10-15 March.
Where possible use one word, rather than two words or a hyphenated word. For example the following should be one word.
Add a hyphen to 're' and 'co' words when the two letters either side of the hyphen are the same:
Hyphens can be used to join words together to make compound adjectives, but only if it helps to make it clear and unambiguous. For example 'the council-owned properties' has a different meaning to 'the council owned properties'.
When referring to the name of the benefit, start each word with a capital letter.
Capitalise each word.
Write as one word.
Start each word with a capital letter, put the apostrophe before the s, and make sure Jobseeker's is one word. Write out in full the first time, with the acronym in brackets afterwards. Subsequent references on the page can just be the acronym.
Generic: lowercase (director). Formal title: capitalise (Chief Executive).
Capitalise and use numeral (Key Stage 1).
The first letter of library should be lower case, for example 'your library account' or 'libraries in Southwark'. When referring to a specific library, it should start with a capital, for example 'Peckham Library'. The correct name for each of our libraries is as follows:
Licence with 'c' is a noun. Licensing with an 's' is a verb. For example, 'you need a licence as part of our licensing scheme'.
You should use a lower case l and c, for example 'your local leisure centre' or 'leisure centres in Southwark'. When referring to a specific leisure centre, use upper case, for example 'The Castle Leisure Centre'. The correct name for each of our leisure centres is as follows:
Lower case. Use local council instead of local authority where possible.
Write the first letter of each word in upper case.
Lowercase unless used with name or formal title (Transport Minister).
Use “MP”, not “Member of Parliament”.
One word with capital 'M' and 'S' when referring to the name of our online account. For example 'sign in to your MySouthwark account'.
Start each word with a capital letter
You should:
See separate guidance on page titles.
Capitalise.
All upper case. No need to explain acronym.
Start each word with a capital letter.
Always use the sign '%' not the word.
Phone numbers should be written like this:
Avoid using “please” or “please note” when giving instructions.
For example:
Lower case 'p', even when referring to the police.
One word, no hyphen.
Use a hyphen and do not use a capital letter.
Use lowercase when speaking generally. For example: check your catchment primary school. Capitalise when it’s the official name of an institution. For example: Maplewood Primary School.
Use lowercase for the word programme when referring to any initiative or scheme. For example: community engagement programme.
Write both words in lowercase. For example: partnerships between local authorities and the public sector.
Lower case for both words.
Use double quotes in body text for direct quotations only. For example: John Doe, cabinet member for equalities, democracy and finance, said: “We will do all that we can to support people financially.”
Use single quotes:
for headings or titles
to highlight uncommon or specialist terms
when referencing words
when naming documents, email subjects, or notifications
For example: The email subject line was ‘Council Tax Update’.
Use lowercase. For example: make sure you renew your resident parking permit before it expires.
It's one word.
Lowercase when generic. For example: schools in Southwark will close early on inset days. Capitalise for a specific name. For example: St John’s Catholic Primary School.
spring, summer, autumn, winter are lower case.
All lower case apart from languages, for example 'she studied geography, French and maths'.
Use sign in rather than log in (verb) for calls-to-action where users enter their details to access a service. For example, 'sign in to your MySouthwark account'
Start each word with a capital letter when referring to the name of our scheme to help people downsize their council home.
Use lowercase for north, south, east and west. Add hyphen for south-east: Southwark is in south-east London.
As above but use lower case for associated words such as Southwark 2030 vision, Southwark 2030 values and Southwark 2030 ambitions.
Start each word with a capital letter apart from 'of'. If referring to 'the fund' in body copy, use lower case.
In most cases we should refer to ourselves in the first person: we or us. When we need to refer to ourselves in the third person it should be Southwark Council or the council. Never call our organisation 'Southwark'.
Write the first letter of each word in upper case. Southwark Leisure is a council service, so refer to our leisure centres in the first person on the main council website: 'we have opened a new leisure centre' and not 'Southwark Leisure has opened a new leisure centre'.
Start each word with a capital letter. If in body copy you are shortening to 'the commission' use lower case c.
Start each word with a capital letter. Do not refer to it without the word 'Southwark'. If written out in full already on a page, subsequent references can be shortened to 'the board'
Start each word with a capital letter, except 'and'.
Lowercase for both overground and underground stations. For example: South Bermondsey station is step-free.
Use a capital 'S' and capital 'L'.
Capital 'S' and 'P'.
Times are written as below:
Write out in full for the first mention on a page, with a capital T and L, and lowercase f, followed by the acronym in brackets, again noting the capitalization. Subsequent references can just use the acronym.
For the first mention on a page, start each word with a capital letter followed by the acronym in brackets. Subsequent references can just use the acronym in capital letters.
Start each word with a capital letter.
Uppercase. For example: paste the URL into your browser.
One word, lowercase. For example: enter your username and password.
Use descriptive hyperlink text.
For example:
Bad: Visit www.southwark.gov.uk/parking
Good: Find out about parking permits.
It's one word.
Lowercase. For example: free wifi is available in all libraries.
Lowercase. For example: children enter year 1 in September.