Why we publish a source index
You should be able to check what we tell you. This page lists the official publishers behind our guidance. Each guide also links to sources next to the claims they support.
Because official bodies carry legal duties, their advice is the safest base for health and pesticide claims. In addition, council pages tell you what local services really exist. We therefore link to them wherever we can.
Core UK sources
- Bedbugs
NHS
Symptoms, signs, self-care boundaries and when to seek help. - Using biocides safely
Health and Safety Executive
Selecting, using, storing and disposing of insecticidal products safely. - Pest control on your property
GOV.UK
Official options for council services and professional pest control. - Find out about pest control
GOV.UK
Postcode route to local authority pest-control information in England and Wales.
How we use these links
A source link should sit close to the claim it supports. This index does not replace those links. We review pages for link changes, and we replace a broken source with the official successor. We never swap in an unofficial copy, because copies can go out of date.
How we rank sources
We prefer public-health bodies, regulators and government pages. Next come legislation and official council pages. Named professional bodies and research follow, and commercial material comes last. Our editorial policy sets out this order in full.
Local sources matter too, because councils run their own services. Our local bed bug help pages link to each council's own pest control page, and our guide to council pest control explains how to read them.
Our guides name the publisher and the page title for each source. This lets you find the original even if a link changes. In addition, we avoid quoting long passages, so you read the official words in context.
Official pages also change over time. Therefore, we record the date we last checked key sources. When a page changes, we update our wording to match it.
Spotted a broken or outdated link?
Official pages move and change. If you find a link that no longer works, tell us through the complaints and corrections page. We will check it and fix it. Our review method explains how we test pages.