v3.25.4
Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets and goodwill (Detail) - GBP (£)
£ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Dec. 31, 2024
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Goodwill at start of year £ 8,216  
Goodwill at end of year 7,930 £ 8,216
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 3,164  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 3,072 3,164
Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Goodwill at start of year 8,216 8,023
Acquisitions 140 146
Disposals and other   (36)
Exchange translation differences (426) 83
Goodwill at end of year 7,930 8,216
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 13,091 12,781
Acquisitions 134 72
Additions 504 464
Disposals and other (304) (305)
Exchange translation differences (573) 79
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 12,852 13,091
Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (9,927) (9,543)
Charge for the year (600) (622)
Disposals and other 322 286
Exchange translation differences 425 (48)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (9,780) (9,927)
Not internally generated    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 1,595  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 1,397 1,595
Not internally generated | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 8,369 8,438
Acquisitions 134 72
Disposals and other (118) (218)
Exchange translation differences (413) 77
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 7,972 8,369
Not internally generated | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (6,774) (6,677)
Charge for the year (248) (258)
Disposals and other 118 215
Exchange translation differences 329 (54)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (6,575) (6,774)
Not internally generated | Market related    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 719  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 587 719
Not internally generated | Market related | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 2,515 2,540
Acquisitions 20 10
Disposals and other   (71)
Exchange translation differences (158) 36
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 2,377 2,515
Not internally generated | Market related | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (1,796) (1,731)
Charge for the year (108) (111)
Disposals and other   69
Exchange translation differences 114 (23)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (1,790) (1,796)
Not internally generated | Customer related    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 609  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 575 609
Not internally generated | Customer related | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 2,010 1,979
Acquisitions 70 14
Disposals and other   (8)
Exchange translation differences (117) 25
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 1,963 2,010
Not internally generated | Customer related | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (1,401) (1,323)
Charge for the year (69) (71)
Disposals and other   8
Exchange translation differences 82 (15)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (1,388) (1,401)
Not internally generated | Editorial content    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 48  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 38 48
Not internally generated | Editorial content | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 666 658
Acquisitions 4 10
Disposals and other   (6)
Exchange translation differences (24) 4
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 646 666
Not internally generated | Editorial content | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (618) (607)
Charge for the year (12) (13)
Disposals and other   5
Exchange translation differences 22 (3)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (608) (618)
Not internally generated | Software and technology    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 210  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 184 210
Not internally generated | Software and technology | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 855 835
Acquisitions 34 38
Disposals and other (99) (23)
Exchange translation differences (34) 5
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 756 855
Not internally generated | Software and technology | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (645) (600)
Charge for the year (57) (62)
Disposals and other 99 23
Exchange translation differences 31 (6)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (572) (645)
Not internally generated | Other    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 9  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 13 9
Not internally generated | Other | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 2,323 2,426
Acquisitions 6  
Disposals and other (19) (110)
Exchange translation differences (80) 7
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 2,230 2,323
Not internally generated | Other | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (2,314) (2,416)
Charge for the year (2) (1)
Disposals and other 19 110
Exchange translation differences 80 (7)
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period (2,217) (2,314)
Internally developed intangible assets    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 1,569  
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 1,675 1,569
Internally developed intangible assets | Cost    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period 4,722 4,343
Additions 504 464
Disposals and other (186) (87)
Exchange translation differences (160) 2
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period 4,880 4,722
Internally developed intangible assets | Accumulated amortisation    
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets    
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at beginning of period (3,153) (2,866)
Charge for the year (352) (364)
Disposals and other 204 71
Exchange translation differences 96 6
Intangible assets excluding goodwill at end of period £ (3,205) £ (3,153)