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Best PR Agency UK 2026

Personal reputation management UK: a consultant reviewing a client's search results in a private strategy session A founder smiling as positive press coverage about him appears online London skyline: United Press helps individuals across the UK and worldwide repair their online reputation
Personal reputation management UKConfidentialUpdated 2026

Personal Reputation Management UK — take back your name

You are more than the worst thing Google says about you.

One old article, an angry review, a post written by someone who wanted to hurt you. It sits at the top of your name, and everyone who searches you sees it first: employers, clients, investors, even new friends. Our personal reputation management service helps individuals in the UK and around the world remove what can be removed, correct what is wrong, and build a truthful first page that shows who you really are today.

  • Free, confidential assessment
  • Removal, delisting & suppression
  • Brook’s Mews, Bond Street, London
  • In PR since 2001
The short answer

What is personal reputation management, and can it really work?

Personal reputation management is the work of changing what people find when they search your name. It combines removing content that breaks the law or a platform’s rules, asking search engines to delist results you have a legal right to remove, correcting inaccurate reporting, and publishing accurate, positive content that ranks above what remains.

It works best when it is honest. Not everything can be deleted: lawful, accurate journalism about your public role usually stays online. But almost everyone can change what appears first, and that is what most people actually see. Studies of search behaviour consistently show that few people look beyond the first page of results, which is why the first page of your name matters so much.

At United Press we have worked in PR since 2001. We combine removal and delisting requests with something most reputation firms cannot offer on their own: real articles in respected publications, so the new first page of your name is built on credible, independent sources.

Who it is for

People we help most often

  • Founders and directors named in old disputes or news stories
  • Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals with a bad review or complaint online
  • Job seekers whose name brings up something out of date
  • People targeted by an ex-partner, former colleague or online troll
  • Public figures, creators and authors with misleading coverage
  • Anyone whose name is shared with someone else’s bad news

Running a business with a company-wide issue? See our online reputation management service instead.

Why it matters

The quiet cost of a damaged name

Most people never find out what a negative search result has cost them. The client who chose someone else does not explain why. The recruiter simply stops replying. The investor becomes “busy”. The date goes quiet.

That silence is what makes reputation damage so hard to live with. You can feel it working against you, but you cannot see it, and you cannot answer it.

Searching someone’s name before a meeting, a hire or a first date is now routine. Many employers check candidates online, and buyers check suppliers before they sign. Whatever they find first becomes their first impression of you, often before you have said a word.

Where it tends to hurt most

  • Careers: job offers, promotions, board appointments and professional registrations
  • Business: new clients, partnerships, funding rounds and bank relationships
  • Professional practice: patients, clients and referrals for doctors, lawyers and advisers
  • Personal life: new relationships, community roles and even your children’s school community
  • Wellbeing: the constant worry of who has searched you today

The good news is that the first page of your name is not fixed. Search results change as new, stronger content appears, and as outdated content is removed or delisted.

Find your situation

What is showing up for your name, and what can be done about it?

Every situation has a different route. Choose the one closest to yours to see what is usually possible, what is not, and how we would approach it.

An old, outdated or unfair news article

This is the most common reason people contact us. A story from years ago still ranks first, often without the outcome: the case that was dropped, the business that recovered, the accusation that was never proven.

Often possible
Asking the publisher to update, anonymise or add the outcome; a UK GDPR delisting request to Google if the information is inaccurate, out of date or no longer relevant; a complaint to the press regulator if the Editors’ Code was breached.
Rarely possible
Forcing a publisher to delete accurate reporting that is still in the public interest.
Our approach
Request first, then build fresh, accurate coverage that outranks it. Read our guide on the right to be forgotten in the UK.
How reputations are repaired

The four routes to a cleaner name, in the order we try them

There is no single trick. Lasting results come from using the right route for each search result, starting with the strongest and most permanent.

Remove

Ask the website, platform or author to take content down when it breaks their rules or the law. If it is gone at the source, it is gone everywhere.

Example: a review that breaks a platform’s content policy.

Delist

Ask Google and other search engines to stop showing a result for your name, using UK GDPR rights or their own privacy policies. The page stays online but stops appearing for your name.

Example: an outdated article about a matter long since resolved.

Correct

Ask publishers to update, anonymise or add context, and use the press regulator’s complaints process where reporting was inaccurate.

Example: a story that never reported that charges were dropped.

Outrank

Publish accurate, positive content about you on strong websites, so it appears above what cannot be removed. This is where respected media coverage matters most.

Example: a feature interview and expert column in national titles.

Personal reputation management UK: harmful reviews and outdated information replaced by a professional profile, media coverage and an official website in Google results
Harmful reviews, defamatory content and outdated information replaced by a professional profile, media coverage and an official website. Illustration.

Removal and delisting decisions are made by the website owner, the platform or the search engine, not by us. We prepare strong, well-evidenced requests and tell you honestly what is likely.

Start today, for free

Eight things you can do yourself before you pay anyone

We would rather you start with the free steps. Some problems are solved in an afternoon. If they are not, you will come to us knowing exactly what is in the way.

  1. Search your name properlyUse a private browser window, search your full name, your name plus your town, and your name plus your company or job title. Note every result on the first two pages.
  2. Sort results into four groupsPositive, neutral, negative but accurate, and negative and wrong. Only the last two need action, and they need different action.
  3. Update what you controlRefresh your LinkedIn and other profiles with a clear photo, current job and full name. Profiles you own often rank well for your name.
  4. Ask the website owner politelyMany publishers and site owners will update, anonymise or add an outcome to an old story if you ask calmly and show evidence. Our guide on how to remove a negative article from Google shows what to include.
  5. Use Google’s privacy removal optionsGoogle says it may remove results showing personal details such as your address, phone number, email, ID numbers or bank details. It can only remove them from search, so ask the website too.
  6. Report posts that break the rulesUse the platform’s own reporting tool for fake reviews, harassment, impersonation or abuse, and keep screenshots with dates.
  7. Consider your UK GDPR rightsIf information about you is inaccurate, outdated or no longer relevant, you can ask search engines to delist it for your name. Our right to be forgotten guide explains how.
  8. Do not argue in publicAngry replies and legal threats posted online often create new results and new headlines. Pause, collect evidence, and get advice first.
When to get expert help

Six signs it is time to bring in a professional

You do not need an agency for every problem. You probably do if any of these sound familiar.

It is costing you moneyLost clients, a stalled deal, a job offer withdrawn, or investors asking awkward questions.
Your requests were refusedThe publisher said no, Google declined to delist, or a platform ignored your report.
There is nothing positive to showYou have little online presence of your own, so the negative result has no competition.
The story is spreadingNew sites, forums or AI answers are repeating the same claims.
Someone is targeting youA persistent individual keeps posting, and you need a calm, documented strategy.
You do not have the timeYou are running a business or a career and cannot spend months on forms and follow-ups.
How we work

Our personal reputation process, step by step

Every case is different, but the shape of the work is the same. You will always know what we are doing, why, and what it costs before we start.

Everything you tell us is treated in strict confidence. Many of the people we help are going through one of the most stressful periods of their lives, and we never forget that.

Start With a Free Name Check →

Personal reputation management UK: replacing negative search results, harmful articles and unfair reviews with positive media coverage
Take back your name: from negative results to positive coverage and a stronger online presence.
  1. Step 1 · Free assessment

    We search your name the way others do

    We review the first pages of Google for your name and its common variations, note every negative or inaccurate result, and check what AI assistants say about you.

  2. Step 2 · Honest plan

    We tell you what is possible

    For each result we recommend a route: remove, delist, correct or outrank. We explain what is likely, what is not, and the fixed cost of each step.

  3. Step 3 · Requests

    We prepare and file the right requests

    Platform reports, publisher letters, search engine delisting requests and press regulator complaints, each built around the specific rules that apply.

  4. Step 4 · Rebuild

    We create the first page you deserve

    Interviews, profiles and expert articles in respected publications, plus help with your own website and profiles, so accurate content ranks for your name.

  5. Step 5 · Watch

    We keep an eye on your name

    We recheck your results and AI answers so you know if anything new appears and can act quickly.

Inside the free assessment

The ten searches we run on every name

People rarely search your name in only one way. Our assessment checks the variations that real employers, clients and journalists use, because a problem hidden in one search is often obvious in another.

  1. Your full nameExactly as it appears on your business card or CV.
  2. Your name and townHow locals, clients and neighbours usually search.
  3. Your name and companyWhat investors, partners and customers type.
  4. Your name and job titleCommon for recruiters and journalists.
  5. Your name and “reviews”The search that brings up complaints and forums.
  6. Your name and “scam” or “fraud”Hard to read, but people do search this way, so we need to know.
  7. Image resultsPhotos can be just as damaging as text, and are often forgotten.
  8. News resultsThe news tab can show old stories that have dropped off the main results.
  9. Google’s autocompleteThe suggestions that appear as someone types your name.
  10. AI assistantsWhat ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI features say when asked about you.

You receive a plain-English summary of what we found, what can be done for each result, and a fixed price for anything you choose to go ahead with.

Avoid making it worse

Five mistakes that keep bad results at the top

When something painful appears online, the urge to fight it immediately is completely human. Unfortunately, some of the most natural reactions give the negative content more life, not less.

If you have already done some of these, do not worry. Almost every situation can still be improved; it may just need a more careful plan.

  1. Replying angrily in public. Comments, posts and replies create new pages with your name on them, and can draw more people to the original story.
  2. Threatening the publisher. Aggressive legal threats sometimes become a new story of their own. Calm, evidence-based requests work far more often.
  3. Buying fake reviews or fake content. It breaks platform rules and Google’s spam policies, and if discovered, it creates a much bigger problem.
  4. Deleting your own profiles. Taking down your LinkedIn or website removes the very pages that compete with the negative result.
  5. Waiting for it to go away. Old content can stay on page one for years if nothing stronger replaces it. Time alone rarely fixes a search result.
Realistic expectations

What usually happens, month by month

Every name is different, and some results move faster than others. This is the typical shape of a personal reputation campaign, so you know what to expect and when.

Weeks 1–2

Free assessment, plan and fixed prices agreed. Removal, delisting and correction requests prepared and filed. Your own profiles updated.

You know exactly where you stand.

Weeks 3–6

First responses arrive from platforms, publishers and search engines. Your first articles are written, approved and published.

Guaranteed placements go live within 14 days of approval.

Months 2–3

Search engines find and begin to trust the new content. Positive results start to move up for your name and its variations.

We report what has changed and what is next.

Months 3–6

Further coverage fills the first page. Remaining negative results are pushed lower, and AI answers are rechecked.

You start to feel the difference.

Timings depend on how competitive your name is and how quickly third parties respond. We never promise a fixed ranking position, because no one controls Google’s results.

Building your new first page

What actually ranks when someone searches your name

Outranking a negative result is not about volume. It is about having several strong, trusted pages that are clearly about you. These are the assets that tend to work, and how strongly they usually rank.

Personal reputation management UK: search results for a name before and after a reputation campaign
Before and after: how the first page for a name can change once harmful results are removed or outranked by accurate coverage. Illustration.

Usually strong

Articles in respected publications

Interviews, profiles and expert columns on high-authority news sites often rank well for a name and carry real credibility with readers.

Usually strong

Your own website

A simple site at your name, with a biography, your work and contact details, gives search engines a clear source about you.

Usually strong

Professional profiles

LinkedIn and well-known professional directories often rank for full names, especially when complete and up to date.

Helpful

Knowledge panel

A Google knowledge panel can help present verified facts about you. Our Google knowledge panel service explains how they are triggered.

Helpful

Podcasts and talks

Appearances on podcasts, panels and events create pages and videos that rank and show your expertise.

Helpful

Social profiles you use

Active, professional social profiles can fill the lower half of page one, as long as they are consistent with everything else.

Where your story can appear

Publications we can place you in, with DA and DR

Strong publications rank well and carry trust, which is why they are the backbone of most personal reputation campaigns. These are examples from our UK and international inventory, with Domain Authority (DA, Moz) and Domain Rating (DR, Ahrefs), so you can see the strength of each site before you choose.

PublicationDA / DRGood forLabel & link
The Independent94 / 91Founder and personal profilesSponsored · no-follow
Business Insider94 / 92Business leaders and entrepreneursConfirmed when you order
Yahoo Finance, AP News & Benzinga94 / 92Executives and company newsConfirmed when you order
The Sun (UK)94 / 89Wide public reachDiscreet label · no-follow
Evening Standard93 / 89London professionals and foundersSponsored · no-follow
The Times92 / 91Senior leaders and expertsDiscreet label · do-follow
Entrepreneur (UK)92 / 91Founders and business storiesNo label · do-follow
IB Times UK90 / 82Business and international profilesConfirmed when you order
New Statesman83 / 84Thought leadershipConfirmed when you order
Female First78 / 72Lifestyle and personal storiesConfirmed when you order
Mark Meets64 / 78Interviews and profilesConfirmed when you order
London Loves Business59 / 72London business leadersConfirmed when you order
London Insider57 / 71London personalitiesConfirmed when you order

DA and DR are third-party estimates of a site’s link strength and change over time. Labels and link types are set by each publication. Inventory changes, so we confirm availability before you order. Want to go further? Our executive PR services build a long-term profile for leaders.

Why United Press

Why people trust us with their name

Many firms can file a removal request. Far fewer can also put you in front of readers in respected publications. That combination is what makes a first page change, and stay changed.

Experience

In PR since 2001

We have spent more than two decades working with journalists and editors, so we know how publications think and what they will and will not change.

Coverage

Named publications

You choose from real UK and international titles, with DA, DR, label and link type shown before you order. No vague promises.

Certainty

14 days or your money back

Every guaranteed placement goes live within 14 days of your approval, or you receive a 100% refund.

Control

You approve every word

Nothing about you is published without your approval. Our writers work in each publication’s style, and you sign off the final article.

Honesty

We tell you what is possible

If something cannot be removed, we say so, and explain the next best route. If a free step will solve it, we tell you that first.

Discretion

Strict confidence

Your situation is handled by a dedicated team, and never discussed with anyone outside it without your permission.

Want to understand the wider picture first? Read what online reputation management is, then come back when you are ready.

Your rights in the UK

The UK rules that matter for your reputation

Knowing your rights helps you choose the right route. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice; for legal action, speak to a solicitor.

UK GDPR, Article 17

Right to erasure

You can ask organisations, including search engines, to erase or delist personal data about you in certain circumstances, for example when it is no longer necessary or is processed unlawfully. Requests are balanced against freedom of expression and the public interest.

Best for: outdated or irrelevant results about a private individual.

Defamation Act 2013, section 1

Serious harm

The Act says a statement is not defamatory unless its publication has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm to your reputation. Claims generally need to be brought within a year of publication. Read section 1 on legislation.gov.uk.

Best for: false statements of fact that are clearly damaging.

Press regulation

Complaints about newspapers

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) handles complaints about most UK newspapers and magazines. It asks for complaints within four months of publication, or up to 12 months for articles still online, depending on the circumstances (IPSO: how to complain).

Best for: inaccurate reporting or intrusion by a member publication.

Platform and search policies

Rules you can rely on

Every major platform publishes rules on fake reviews, harassment, impersonation and private information. Google also lets people request removal of results that show personal details such as addresses, phone numbers and ID numbers (Google Search Help).

Best for: reviews, posts and exposed personal details.

Summaries checked October 2026. Laws and policies change, so we confirm the current position for your case.

Who we work with

Personal reputation help for every kind of career

The goal is always the same: when someone searches your name, they should see an accurate picture of who you are now. How we get there depends on your work.

Founders & directors

Investors and partners search you before every meeting. We help your first page reflect your track record, not one bad year.

Senior executives

Before a promotion, appointment or board role, we make sure your name tells the right story.

Doctors & clinicians

One unfair review can sit above years of good care. We assess what can be removed and build trusted professional profiles.

Lawyers & accountants

Your reputation is your business. We help clients find your expertise first.

Creators & public figures

When coverage is misleading or a post goes viral, we help you correct the record and move forward.

Private individuals

Job seekers, people named in old stories and those targeted online. You deserve a fresh start too. In London? See our reputation management London team.

Personal or business?

Personal reputation management vs business reputation management

The tools overlap, but the goals and the rules are different. Knowing which you need helps you choose the right service.

 Personal reputation managementBusiness reputation management
Main searchYour own nameYour company or brand name
Typical problemsOld news, personal attacks, exposed private details, shared namesCustomer reviews, employee reviews, product complaints, negative press
Privacy rightsStrong: UK GDPR rights apply to individualsLimited: companies usually cannot use the right to be forgotten
Best new contentInterviews, profiles, expert columns, personal websiteCompany news, case studies, reviews, brand features
ConfidentialityUsually essentialOften shared with a wider team
Our serviceThis pageOnline reputation management services
Plain-English glossary

Reputation terms, explained simply

You will hear these words a lot when you look into cleaning up your name. Here is what they actually mean.

RemovalThe content is taken down by the website or platform that hosts it, so it disappears everywhere.
DelistingA search engine stops showing a result for certain searches, such as your name. The page itself stays online.
Right to be forgottenThe common name for your UK GDPR right to ask for personal data to be erased or delisted in certain circumstances.
SuppressionPublishing strong, accurate content so it ranks above negative results, pushing them further down.
Serious harmThe test in the Defamation Act 2013: a statement is only defamatory if it causes, or is likely to cause, serious harm to reputation.
Knowledge panelThe information box Google sometimes shows for well-known people, drawing on trusted sources.
DA and DRDomain Authority (Moz) and Domain Rating (Ahrefs): third-party scores estimating how strong a website’s links are.
AutocompleteThe suggestions Google shows as someone types. Google has policies for removing some harmful predictions.
The Streisand effectWhen trying to hide something draws more attention to it. A careful plan avoids it.
Staying protected

How to protect your name for the long term

Repairing your reputation is one thing. Keeping it strong is easier, and much cheaper, than fixing it again later. These habits help most people stay in control of their first page.

  • Keep your own profiles alive. Update your website and LinkedIn whenever your role or achievements change.
  • Use one consistent name. The same name, photo and job title everywhere helps search engines connect the right content to you.
  • Add new coverage regularly. One or two quality articles a year keep fresh, accurate results near the top.
  • Set alerts. Free alerts for your name help you spot new content early, when it is easiest to deal with.
  • Be careful what you post. Today’s comment can become tomorrow’s search result.
Before you hire anyone

Six questions to ask any reputation firm

  1. What exactly can you remove in my case, and what can you not?
  2. Which publications will my coverage appear in, and are they labelled as sponsored?
  3. What is the price of each step, and is there a retainer?
  4. What happens if an agreed article is not published?
  5. Do you use any fake reviews, fake profiles or link schemes?
  6. How do you keep my case confidential?

A trustworthy firm will answer all six clearly and in writing. We are happy to.

How we protect you

What we will never do, and what we always will

Some reputation shortcuts make things worse: they create new headlines, break platform rules or breach Google’s spam policies. Your name deserves better than a quick fix that backfires.

We will never

  • Write fake reviews or fake positive content about you
  • Threaten journalists, reviewers or website owners
  • Promise to delete lawful, accurate journalism
  • Use hacking, false legal claims or other unlawful methods
  • Publish thin, spammy pages that could harm your name further
  • Share your case with anyone without your permission

We will always

  • Tell you honestly what can and cannot be removed
  • Use the platforms’ own rules and your legal rights
  • Publish only accurate, verifiable information about you
  • Show you every article before it is submitted
  • Give you a clear, fixed price before work starts
  • Treat your situation in strict confidence
Clear pricing

How much does personal reputation management cost in the UK?

Cost depends on how many results need attention and which routes apply. Many firms charge a monthly retainer for months at a time. We prefer to price each piece of work so you know exactly what you are paying for. For wider context, see how much PR costs in the UK.

Name assessment

Free

A confidential review of what appears for your name and what is likely to be possible.

  • First two pages of results
  • AI answers checked
  • Honest recommendation

Removal & delisting

Fixed price per item

Prepared requests to platforms, publishers, search engines and the press regulator, priced per result before we start.

  • Evidence-based requests
  • Follow-ups handled for you
  • Clear outcome reporting

Positive coverage

Fixed price per publication

Interviews, profiles and expert articles in named publications, with DA and DR shown before you order.

  • You approve every article
  • Live within 14 days of approval
  • 100% refund if the agreed article is not published
14

days: every guaranteed placement goes live within 14 days of your approval, or you receive a 100% refund. No retainer, no hidden extras.

Getting started

What we need from you to begin

You do not need to prepare a long file. A few minutes on the form below is enough for us to start your free assessment. If you have more, it helps us move faster.

  • Your full name and any other names you are known by
  • The links or searches that worry you most
  • What has happened since: outcomes, corrections or new roles
  • Anything you have already tried, and the replies you received
  • What you would like people to find instead

What happens next

We review your name in confidence and reply with a clear, honest assessment: what can be removed, what can be delisted, what can be corrected, and what we recommend building. Each step comes with a fixed price, and you decide what to go ahead with.

If your situation needs a solicitor rather than a PR agency, we will tell you. If it can be solved with a free step you can take yourself, we will tell you that too.

Clients come to us from across the UK and from every country. Our team works from Brook’s Mews, Bond Street, London.

Get My Free Name Check →

Questions people ask

Personal reputation management UK: frequently asked questions

What is personal reputation management?

It is the work of improving what people find when they search your name online. It combines removing content that breaks rules or the law, delisting results you have a right to remove, correcting inaccurate reporting, and publishing accurate content that ranks above what remains.

Can I remove my name from Google in the UK?

Sometimes. Google may remove results that show personal details such as your address, phone number, email, ID numbers or bank details, and under UK GDPR you can ask it to delist results for your name that are inaccurate, outdated or no longer relevant. Google decides each request, and the page itself stays online unless the website removes it.

How do I clean up my name on Google?

Search your name in a private window, list every negative result, update the profiles you control, ask website owners to update or remove content, use Google’s removal options and your UK GDPR rights, and publish accurate, positive content on strong websites so it ranks above anything that remains.

Can a news article about me be removed?

Accurate reporting in the public interest is rarely deleted. But publishers often agree to update, anonymise or add the outcome, Google may delist outdated articles for your name under UK GDPR, and inaccurate reporting can be raised with the press regulator. Our right to be forgotten guide explains the process.

How long does personal reputation management take?

Some requests are decided within weeks. Building new results that outrank older content usually takes a few months, because search engines need time to find and trust new pages. Our guaranteed placements go live within 14 days of approval.

How much does personal reputation management cost in the UK?

It depends on how many results need attention. At United Press the assessment is free, removal and delisting work is priced per item before we start, and positive coverage is a fixed price per publication with no retainer.

Is suppressing negative results legal?

Yes, when it is done honestly. Publishing accurate, positive information about yourself is legal and normal. What is not acceptable is fake reviews, false content or spam, which can break platform rules and Google’s spam policies. We never use them.

Can you remove a false review about me?

Reviews that break a platform’s rules, such as fake, abusive or conflict-of-interest reviews, can usually be reported for removal, and false statements that cause serious harm may have a legal route. Honest opinions from real customers are generally kept, so we also help you respond and rebuild.

What if an AI tool says something wrong about me?

Nobody can edit an AI model directly, but AI answers are built from sources. Correcting inaccurate sources and publishing accurate, authoritative information about you gives AI assistants better material, and we recheck the answers over time.

Will anyone know I used a reputation service?

Your case is handled in strict confidence. Articles are published by the publications themselves, and some carry a sponsored label set by the publisher. We tell you the label for every outlet before you choose.

Do you help people outside the UK?

Yes. The UK is our home market, and we help individuals from every country, placing coverage in UK and international publications. Delisting rights vary by country, so we check what applies to you.

Is this legal advice?

No. We are a PR and reputation agency, not a law firm. We explain your options in plain English and, where legal action may be needed, we recommend speaking to a solicitor.

Your name, your future

One search result should not decide who you are allowed to be.

You have grown, learned and moved on. But every time someone types your name, they meet the version of you from your worst day. It is unfair, it is exhausting, and it quietly closes doors you will never even know about.

It does not have to stay that way. Some of it can be removed. Some of it can be corrected. And everything else can be outweighed by the truth about the person you are today.

Imagine searching your own name next season and feeling proud of what you see.

Tell us what is happening on the short form below. We will review your name in confidence and send you an honest, free assessment of what can be done, and what it would cost.

Get My Free Name Check →

United Press · Brook’s Mews, Bond Street, London W1K 4HA · 07447 882377 · In PR since 2001 · Clients in the UK and every country

Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Remembered.While you wait, someone else gets the headline. Tell us your story today — no obligation, just an honest conversation.