The Lactation Consultants of Great Britain’s (LCGB) Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) are the basis of the membership contract through which LCGB, (the Charity) will deliver our membership services (the services) to you as a member or subscriber of LCGB.

Please read these T&Cs carefully before applying to become a LCGB member or subscriber.  You MUST agree to theses T&Cs when applying or renewing your membership or subscription.

LCGB is a volunteer run, registered charity (Charity number – 1187793) that offers you either:-

  1. Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter & Education Bulletin to all those interested to receive it, for a calendar year. At the start of each year you will be contacted to confirm you wish to continue with your subscription.  This is NOT membership of the Charity and therefore does NOT offer the rights and benefits offered our members.  Subscribers are welcome to upgrade their Subscription to become an LCGB member at any time.
  2. Membership to certified International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and all individuals involved or interested in the lactation world.

When applying to join LCGB, prospective subscribers and members MUST complete an application that is submitted for approval and activation.  However applicants do not undertake an assessment activity to become a subscriber or member.

Members’ applications only - for an application to become an LCGB member to be accepted and the Charity grant you access our website (Site), you must agree to be bound by these T&Cs.

  1. Membership Levels

You will apply for one of two levels of membership: Full, IBCLC Member or Associate Member

  • Full, IBCLC Membership: ONLY open to those holding a current IBCLC certification and are found on the IBCLC Register.

Full, IBCLC members are granted the full membership rights and benefits of the Charity and Full also includes the following membership levels;

- Gifted & Sponsored Full Membership On occasion the Charity, follows a set process and awards these free of charge.

  • Associate Membership: offered to non IBCLCs (NOT available to those with a current IBCLC certification).

Associate members have all membership rights and benefits except, they are NOT eligible to vote on LCGB matters, or any rights/benefits that are limited to certified IBCLCs eg. a ‘Find an IBCLC’ Directory listings.

Associate Membership also includes the following membership levels;

- Retired IBCLC, Associate Membership – those who have previously been an IBCLC, but no longer hold a current IBCLC certification.

- Student, Associate Membership - a ‘one-time’ one year, discounted membership.  Offered to those stating they plan to sit their IBCLC exam within that membership year.  This membership level requires additional LCGB approval prior to activation.

- Gifted & Sponsored Associate Memberships - On occasion the Charity, follows a set process and awards these free of charge.

  • Honorary LCGB Membership:  On occasion the Charity awards this life-time, free of charge Honorary membership.  Honorary members can be Full, IBCLC or Associate members according to the individual. They are award to those who are recognised to have contributed greatly to the Charity and the lactation world.
  1. The LCGB Brand

The LCGB brand is owned by us and nothing contained on our Site or within these T&Cs shall constitute the grant of a licence to use our branding in any form or in any way for your personal use.

The LCGB logo is for the Charity's use only.  Any subscriber or member identified to be using the LCGB logo will be contacted and asked to remove it.  Repeated use and/or the failure to remove our logo may well result in their subscription/membership being terminated.

  1. Membership Benefits

These vary according to the membership level and the Charity reserves the right to update or amend any benefits that apply to a membership level at any time without prior notice.

Examples of Members' Benefits include:-

A - Access to the 'Members Area' of the LCGB website, [https://www.lcgb.org]

B - Participate in LCGB Network Groups, to connect with others to share knowledge and professional experiences.

C - ELACTA membership – LCGB membership offers the option to also purchase a discounted ELACTA membership.  This is for one (1) calendar year running Jan 1st until Dec 31st so the expiry date for your ELACTA membership may differ from your LCGB membership.

ELACTA membership taken out - Prior to March 1st is for the current calendar year.  - Between March 1st and September 30th is considered only for the remaining months of the current year so the member is contacted and offered a refund.  - From October 1st membership will be considered for the next calendar year.

D - Free or Discounted Education in person and online events provided by LCGB and our reciprocal organisations, including those that offer Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs)

E - Professional Resources a variety of resources can be found on our Site

F – Available to Full, IBCLC members ONLY:-

  1. i) The right to vote on LCGB matters.
  2. ii) A photo/logo and up to 80 character 'Tagline' on your Members Card, free of charge.

iii) A listing and location pin on the Charity’s 'Find an IBCLC' Directory facility, free of charge.  All full, IBCLC members are encouraged to use this irrespective of their area of IBCLC work.  The Directory is to highlight the availability of seeing an IBCLC in all working areas.

  1. iv) An additional purchase of an ‘Enhanced Directory’ listing and/or ‘Personal Advertisement’ on the Site.

Those choosing to have a Tagline and Directory listing are agreeing to:

** ONLY share information regarding your IBCLC certification and NOT share any other qualifications you hold including post nominal letters or services that you offer. 

** To have a Directory Listing you must have current professional indemnity insurance, for your IBCLC practice.  This may be covered by your employer or a personal policy.

G – External Providers, all membership benefits/services provided by an External Provider are at the provider’s absolute discretion.  The Charity reserves the right to change an external provider without prior notice and our decision on services/goods provided is final.

Having LCGB membership does not guarantee that an External Provider will accept your application for the provision of their services/goods.  The services/goods supplied by an External Provider will be subject to the provider’s own T&Cs.  LCGB does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a result of a fault, error or omission in the provision of these services/goods.

  1. The Individual's Membership Contract

All LCGB memberships are for twelve (12) months, from the date the membership fee and any other fees have been received by LCGB.

  • Application for LCGB membership: Is an online process, follow the instructions found in the 'Become a Member' area of our Site.
  1. Fully complete your 'Members Profile', this is your property and your responsibility to keep maintain it. You have access to update and change the information at any time by logging into the Members Area on our Site
  2. Purchasing any applicable membership 'Add Ons' and claim an applicable discount.
  3. Select your payment either make a one-time payment (12 months) or for your membership to auto-renew annually (cheaper) then make an online card payment for the total fee due.  For an alternative format contact the Membership Secretary - membership@lcgb.org  

You consent to join LCGB by submitting your initial LCGB membership application.  Your application is pending whilst checked, processed and activated by our volunteer, Membership Secretary once activated it becomes a legally binding contract.

The transfer of a membership, a member's rights and/or member obligations to another individual is not permitted at any time.

  • Membership renewal applications: Existing members MUST NOT complete a new application form as this creates a duplicate membership record.

ALL members should check that their ‘Members Profile’ is correct, complete, and up to date.  Your membership will be set as either a one-time payment in which case to renew log into your 'Members Profile' on our Site and following the renewal instructions and purchase applicable membership 'Add Ons'.  If set to auto renew you do not need to do anything but you may wish to purchase applicable membership 'Add Ons'.

Following your membership renewal payment, if a one-time payment you will see an online confirmation page, if set to auto renew you will receive an acknowledgment email.  Your renewal year continues from the previous year's expiry date, on receipt of the renewal payment.

Your renewal is currently pending approval and reactivation.  Whilst pending Full IBCLC members ‘Find an IBCLC’ Directory listings are NOT searchable.  The volunteer, Membership Secretary will reactivate your membership as soon as possible, but as a volunteer run organisation this will not be immediate. By renewing ones membership you are confirming the continuation of your legally binding contract.

  • Expired or Lapsed Memberships: the member will notified a number of times by the membership system

The Membership Secretary will also contact you.  You will be informed that one (1) month following expiry your membership will be considered cancelled.  Full, IBCLC members’ details will then be transferred to become LCGB Subscribers.  All other members will be offered to become LCGB Subscribers.

A cancelled membership is retained for three (3) months after which the member’s details are deleted from our system.  During this retention period to reinstate your membership contact the Membership Secretary - membership@lcgb.org  it is not possible to reinstate a member’s details once they have been deleted from the membership system.

  1. 'Cooling Off' Period

On taking out an initial LCGB membership you have a seven (7) day cooling off period in which to cancel your membership and receive a full refund of any fees paid.

Existing members wishing to cancel their membership should inform the Membership Secretary - membership@lcgb.org prior to making the renewal fee payment.  Should notification be made after the renewal fee payment is received by the Charity any refund requested will incur a £5.00 admin fee deduction.

  1. LCGB's Right to Decline, or Up/Downgrade Applications
  • Decline Membership - if the Charity discovers that any or all of the information provided by you is misleading or false, and or you have gone against these T&Cs we reserve the right decline or cancel, your membership application or renewal at any time.

In this event we reserve the right to revoke your membership with immediate effect, and without the right of appeal or refund.  This includes if we are unable to obtain full payment authorisation from the issuer of your credit/debit card or full payment by other means.

  1. Full, LCGB members are also required to uphold IBLCE’s 'Code of Professional Conduct' - Principle 8: Comply with the IBLCE Disciplinary Procedures (https://iblce.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/code-of-professional-conduct.pdf)
  • Membership level, up/downgrades - are approved by the Membership Secretary.

We reserve the right to up/downgrade a membership following an initial application or renewal, if it transpires that the information we have received has changed or does not meet the activation criteria.  You have the right of appeal against the membership level offered, if you believe it to be incorrect or unjust.  A review will be conducted by LCGB Board and their decision is final.

Existing Associate members who become IBCLCs are gifted a free upgrade to a full, IBCLC member for the reaming period of their current membership.  Following confirmation of their IBCLC certification and documenting of their IBCLC L- number. 

IBCLC members during their first year as an IBCLC have the ability to claim a 15% refund on their paid membership fee for a Full, IBCLC membership.  On application the refund will be made by the Membership Secretary.

  1. Individual Member Obligations

As an LCGB member you represent to the Charity and all other LCGB members.  The following are and will be true each and every time you access or use our Site and/or Services:

- You have all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform your obligations under these T&Cs.

- There are no circumstances of which you should reasonably be aware which would prevent these T&Cs from being and forming legally binding obligations upon you.

- In carrying out or fulfilling the duties, obligations, or services of these T&Cs does not and will not conflict with or breach any constitutional document, agreement or applicable laws to which you are subject or by which you are bound.

- All the information which you submit to the Site is to be complete, reliable, and accurate, free from errors, and not misleading in any way, and will not infringe any third party rights.

- You will not do or omit to do, anything that might reasonably be expected to put the Charity in breach of any applicable laws.

- If requested, you will promptly provide us all information that we may reasonably require from time to time in connection with your access to or usage of the Site.

  1. Cancellations & Refunds

Members wishing to cancel their membership should inform the Membership Secretary by emailing - membership@lcgb.org of your intention to cancel prior to your membership expiry date and prior to the membership renewal payment being receive.

LCGB is not obliged to provide a refund to a member cancelling their membership after their renewal payment has been received and their membership has renewed.  When a refund is requested by the member it is at the Charity’s discretion whether a refund is granted.  Any refund granted will incur a £5.00 admin fee.  Should the member not request a refund of their membership renewal payment, the monies received are considered a kind donation and ring fenced to the 'LCGB Grant for IBCLC Exam' (GIE).

  1. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate these T&Cs immediately and without notice if you fail to renew your membership or if we determine that you have committed a material breach. We will not be liable for any resulting losses, and this action will not prejudice any other rights or remedies available to us under the law.

We reserve the right to terminate your membership.  You have the right to appeal this decision by contacting the Membership Secretary - membership@lcgb.org and your appeal will be referred to the Board, who will engage an independent third party.  Any decision made by the independent third party regarding you terminated membership will be considered final and binding.

We may revoke your access to our Site and Services and cancel your login credentials at any time by giving you seven (7) days written notice, or immediately if required by law. 

Ending these T&Cs and stopping the services will not affect:

  • Any rights or liabilities that accumulated before termination
  • Any outstanding fee payments owed to us
  • Any clauses in these T&Cs designed to remain in effect after termination
  1. Membership Fee - Price Information

By agreeing to these T&Cs, you agree that you will pay your LCGB membership fee as set out in the ‘Become a Member’ area of our Site and these fees override, any other membership fees quoted elsewhere.

We reserve the right to increase the membership fee from time to time.  Any increases will be displayed in the ‘Become a Member’ area of our Site and current members will be informed of the fee increase in advance of its implementation and in their membership renewal email.

All membership fees are for a 12 month membership and may include any additional ‘Add On’ purchases.  They are to be paid in full, by a single online card payment.

In the event that we received a double payment from an existing member, or a non-member makes a payment, reasonable efforts will be made to contact the individual.  They will be advised of their payment and encouraged to cancel future over payments.  Any refund of the initial over payment will incur the deduction of a £5.00 admin fee.  This admin fee increases by £5.00 annually for any continued over payments received.  If the individual did not require a refund or we are unable to contact then the monies received are considered a kind donation and ring fenced to the 'LCGB Grant for IBCLC Exam' (GIE).

  1. Credit/Debit Card Payment

Membership fees are only accepted through bank credit or debit card payments, in accordance with the payment information in the 'Become a Member' area of our Site.  Should we discover an error in your payment you will be informed by email as soon as possible.

If paying your membership fee through another persons' credit/debit card, you must have the card holder's permission prior to making the payment.  And by renewing your membership you are confirming that you have obtained the card holders permission.

  1. Viruses, Hacking & Other Offences

You are responsible for ensuring that you have appropriate virus protection processes and software in place.

You shall not (a) knowingly introduce any viruses into our Site (b) attack or instigate or facilitate the attack of our Site and/or Services via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack (c) use our Site or Services for any purpose which is unlawful, abusive, libellous, obscene or threatening.

A breach of this clause may constitute a criminal offence.  We will contact you and may report any such breach, whether actual or suspected to the relevant law enforcement authorities and you should agree to co-operate with those authorities.

We are not liable for any losses caused by any form of attack or viruses that may infect your computer equipment, computer programs, data or other proprietary material due to use of our Site or Services.

  1. Links

Our Site contains links to a number of other websites.  The content on these websites may contain material that is produced by third parties not affiliated with us.  We have no control over these websites and accept no responsibility or liability for information and/or content provided on such websites.

  1. Liability

Nothing in these T&Cs shall exclude or limit your liability for fraud, personal injury or death caused by the Charity’s negligence.

Neither the Charity nor any of our trustees, employees, volunteers, external providers or delegates will be liable for any losses incurred or suffered by you, directly or indirectly in connection with:

- Materials provided to or by or on behalf of us being corrupted or inaccurate.

- You being unable for whatever reason to access or use our Site or Services.

- Benefits, goods or services provided by an external provider/third party.

- Anything done or left undone by you, or by other LCGB members, because of information or communications that claim to come from you.  But have been created and/or sent by (i) a third party claiming to act in your name, or (ii) any individual who possesses lawful access to the Services yet exceeds their granted scope of authority, irrespective of whether the legal claim is based on contract law, civil wrongs, or statutory violations.

- The Charity and our representatives—including trustees, volunteers, employees, licensors or delegates are not liable for any indirect or consequential damages, even if they were foreseeable.

Furthermore, our maximum liability for any claims relating to these T&Cs, our site, or our services is limited to the fees paid by you to us during the 12 months previous to the claim, regardless of the legal basis. We exclude all other implied guarantees, warranties, or conditions to the fullest extent permitted by law. These T&Cs do not affect your legal statutory rights as a consumer.

  1. Data Protection & Confidential Information

You acknowledge and agree that we may monitor your use of our Site.

We reserve the right to record, retain, and analyse data regarding your use of our Site and Services for performance monitoring, statistical insights, and marketing activities.  Please see our ‘Privacy Policy’ for more information on how and for what purposes we use your personal data.

Under these terms, confidential information includes all non-public data (in any format) disclosed to or obtained by you regarding our Site, Services, or T&Cs. You are required to maintain its confidentiality and must not use, disclose, or allow the disclosure of this information to anyone, except when required by applicable law.

  1. Events

Individual members may be invited to attend events organised by us and/or our partner organisations, to enable information gathering and take advantage of networking opportunities.  If you have paid to attend such an event, and wish to cancel, you must follow the T&Cs for the specific event and contact us at - info@lcgb.org

  1. Variation

The most recent edition of these T&Cs available within your ‘Members Profile and on our Site, and is binding upon you.  These T&Cs are to be reviewed annually and we may make changes and/or update them at any time upon.  Fourteen (14) days written notice will be provided prior of any major changes and should you not accept any proposed major variations you may terminate your membership contract without penalty.

  1. Third Parties

A person who is not party to these T&Cs shall not have any rights under or in connection with them under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

  1. Entire Agreement

These T&Cs override any contrary T&Cs published in relation to any membership contract between you and the Charity.

  1. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These T&Cs are governed by English law, and any disputes must be brought exclusively before English courts, regardless of where you reside.

If any court finds a specific clause invalid or unenforceable, that part will be deleted, but the remaining rules will continue to apply fully.

  1. Comments, Queries & Complaints

If you have any comments, queries, or complaints about your membership please refer to the LCGB ‘Comments, Complements & Complaints Policy’ and contact the Membership Secretary - membership@lcgb.org

All comments, queries, or complaints are handled confidentially and we will acknowledge receipt of your comments, queries, or complaints by email within five (5) working days.  We aim to provide a written response within twenty (20) working days.  If additional time is required, we will keep you informed by email.