Alright, the UK patent office says the following:

Claiming and enforcing copyright

Copyright is automatic in the UK and most of the rest of the world. It is essentially a private right so decisions about use of a copyright work and how to enforce copyright are generally for a copyright owner to take for him or herself.

Do I have to mark my work to claim copyright?

Although a few countries require that a work be marked with the international © mark followed by the name of the copyright owner and year of publication, this is not essential in most countries, including the UK. However, marking in this way may assist in infringement proceedings.


How can I prove originality in my work?

Ultimately this is a matter for the courts to decide. However, it may help copyright owners to deposit a copy of their work with a bank or solicitor or send a copy of their work to themselves by special delivery (which gives a clear date stamp on the envelope), leaving the envelope unopened on its return; this could establish that the work existed at this time. (Further details of special delivery should be available at Post Offices).