Annual reports
Our annual reports include key developments, notable rulings, details of the publishers we regulate, financial information, and reflections on the year
Each year, IPSO publishes a comprehensive annual report detailing its work to uphold editorial standards, protect the public, and promote accountability across the press. These reports offer insights into complaints handling, regulatory decisions, and commentary on journalism ethics.
Why IPSO’s Annual Reports Matter
- Transparency: the reports show how IPSO responds to complaints and enforces the Editors’ Code of Practice
- Accountability: they make IPSO accountable to the public, and set out how we hold publishers to account
- Impact: they demonstrate how regulation evolves, and explain IPSO’s role in shaping responsible journalism and defending press freedom in the UK.
Whether you’re a journalist, policymaker, academic, or member of the public, IPSO’s annual reports provide essential data and context on the state of UK press regulation.
This page links to full-text PDFs of IPSO’s annual reports from 2015-2025, which include:
- Key statistics on complaints and rulings
- Lists of publishers and publications regulated by IPSO
- Commentary from the Chair and Chief Executive
- Highlights of key milestones, strategic priorities and regulatory developments.
Explore the reports to see how IPSO delivers its purpose as a self-regulatory model, free of government involvement, to raise standards in the digital and print news sector in the UK and hold publishers to account.
Annual reports
2024: A decade of accountability
IPSO’s 10th anniversary year. We celebrated progress in press regulation, held national newsroom tours and a conference on AI, children, and misinformation and trust. Publishers who subscribe to IPSO regulation agreed a new five-year funding settlement, providing valuable stability and underpinning IPSO’s independence. The repeal of Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 removed legal uncertainty.
Read the press release:
10 years of regulated journalism: IPSO publishes its Annual Report 2024
2023: Promoting engagement, tackling misinformation
A year when we reflected on IPSO’s relationship with wider society and how IPSO promotes engagement between the public and journalists around press standards issues. There was renewed discussion about the distinction between edited, accountable, regulated journalism and unregulated social media and other content. We introduced a new database for processing and tracking complaints, produced guidance and information on reporting on sex and gender identity, reporting on suicide, sexual offences, and deaths and inquests; as well as conducted the second biennial publisher consultation.
Read the press release:
For accountable journalism: IPSO publishes its Annual Report 2023
2022: Strategic renewal and independent review
We launched IPSO’s 2023–2028 strategy. The independent Jeffrey Review affirmed IPSO’s positive influence. And we handled 25,100 complaints about a single article — the highest ever. The report details IPSO’s efforts to promote editorial standards including formal guidance for editors on due prominence of corrections in print media, social media and court reporting. For the public, IPSO’s team produced information on the reporting of domestic abuse.
Read the press release:
2021: Recovery
Moving out of the Covid-19 pandemic, IPSO engaged with journalists and editors to promote editorial standards and engaging policy-makers about online safety and media literacy. The report reflects on the publication of the Covid Report which used data, case studies and insights to review reporting on the pandemic.
Read the press release:
2020: Responding to the pandemic
Covid-19 dominated IPSO’s work: With the country in lockdown, IPSO adapted to remote operations, processed over 30,000 complaints, and issued guidance on pandemic reporting and misinformation.
2019: Building engagement and awareness
IPSO marked its fifth anniversary with new publisher contracts, new members and strengthening engagement and reach.
2018: Strengthening identity
We introduced the IPSO Mark to distinguish regulated, accountable publishers from unregulated content producers. The compulsory arbitration scheme began. And new guidance on press intrusion was published in response to the Kerslake Report into the Manchester Arena bombings. A judicial review brought against an IPSO ruling was dismissed.
2017: Expanding standards and training
IPSO held UK-wide roadshows, delivered newsroom training, and published information for the public on how journalists use social media, court reporting, and reporting deaths and inquests. Implemented recommendations of the independent Pilling Review and strengthened its publisher membership base.
2016: Consolidation and outreach
We launched the pilot arbitration scheme, whistleblowing service, and Readers’ Advisory Panel. IPSO’s first national roadshow began. The Pilling Review affirmed IPSO’s independence and effectiveness.
2015: Establishing independent accountability
IPSO’s first full year of operation focused on building credibility, enforcing the Editors’ Code, and laying the foundation for independent regulation. Publishers entered binding contracts, marking a shift in accountability.